


Cataclysm

by IntrospectiveInquisitor



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cheren might be kind of a dick, M/M, Male Slash, N talks very much, Pre-Slash, Socially awkward nerds, Touya eventually learns what talking is, Touya is very bad at talking, but that's okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-30
Updated: 2015-11-14
Packaged: 2018-04-28 20:47:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 27,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5105204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IntrospectiveInquisitor/pseuds/IntrospectiveInquisitor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two trainers meet, and everything changes. Words and actions have profound effects upon them and the world around them. Change comes quickly, and sometimes painfully.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Change

Their first meeting was as monumental as their last, though in a very different way. One shaped the fate of the entire region, and the other shaped their paths as trainers and their roles as heroes. Two meetings, two battles, two events that Touya and N walked away from, changed forever. 

The late August heat hung heavy over the heads of every soul in the bustling little town of Accumula. It was not the largest town in Unova, or the most technologically advanced. It was not brimming with tourist attractions, and was surrounded by few, if any, landmarks. It was too large to be as sleepy as Nuvema or Aspertia, but too small to be as lively as Castelia or Nimbasa. It was very much an ordinary town, one that few trainers returned to or remarked upon as they passed through. However, something very out of the ordinary was taking place. Dozens crowded around a small park, trampling the grass as they milled about. A quiet buzz of chatter rang through the air, taking on a strong note of confusion. Most had simply seen that others were gathering and had come to join them. Few actually knew what was happening. A mayoral announcement? A local theater troupe, about to perform? Those closer to the front asked similar questions. They remarked upon the score of strange individuals that stood in the center of the park, all dressed in identical, templar inspired outfits. Was this some sort of cosplay event, or a flash mob in the making? A pair of dark haired teenagers shoved and apologized their way to the front. A head of green hair stood taller than most. 

From within the group of stalwart knight cosplayers(?) emerged an older man, clad in thick, ostentatious robes decorated with a pair of stylized eyes, as well as a large crested collar branded with the same symbol that the knights wore upon their chests. He had a full head of sickly green hair and a strange red monocle over his left eye. The probable leader of the knightly platoon raised one hand above his head and cleared his throat, waiting patiently for the crowd to fall quiet.

"Greetings, citizens of Accumula, and those simply passing through. I should hope you are all having a fine afternoon." His voice boomed over the crowd, just a hair short of a shout. His voice was smooth and oily, coming to a gentle stop at the end of every sentence so that the silence could hang. "My name is Ghetsis, and I am here today representing Team Plasma." There was a short murmur of confusion from those gathered. "I'd like to talk to you, ladies and gentlemen, about Pokemon liberation." The hushed whispers grew in volume as their confusion escalated. Ghetsis continued on, unperturbed. "I am sure that most of you believe that we, humans and Pokemon, have grown to work together and depend upon one another. However.. is that really the truth? Or is it something we simply assume to be true?" The crowd was silent. Contemplation was written upon a number of faces, and stubborn refusal upon many others. "Pokemon are subject to the selfish commands of trainers, and are taken advantage of when they are our "partners" at work. Can anyone say with confidence that there is no truth in what I am saying?" There was a general uneasy murmur, but not a single voice rose in protest. A smug twist of the lips briefly twisted Ghetsis' face before falling back into careful neutrality. "Ladies and gentlemen, Pokemon are very different creatures from ourselves. They are living beings with unknown potential. Living beings from whom we humans have much to learn. Now, what is it that you'd say our responsibility towards these wonderful Pokemon is?" The murmuring sprouted back up, voices never raising loud enough to be distinguished from one another. 

"Liberation?" came the answer. Smooth and masculine with a hint of urgency and heaps of confidence. Spoken as a question, there was no doubt in the vocalization. 

"Yes, very good! We must liberate Pokemon! Then, and only then, will we truly be equal. Everyone, I end my words today by imploring you to consider the relationship between humans and Pokemon... and the correct way to proceed. We sincerely appreciate your attention." And that was that. Ghetsis stepped back among the other members of Team Plasma. They fell into formation around him, forming an escort as they exited the park. After they had departed, the crowd erupted into a buzz of conversation. Was Pokemon liberation really the correct thing to do? Could anyone stand to be parted permanently from their precious Pokemon? Slowly those gathered began to drift away into their own small groups, composed of friends and families and likeminded individuals. Before long, only three people remained behind in the park. 

"Can you believe that utter nonsense? Pokemon liberation, really... Everyone knows that Pokemon grow best and are happiest among humans." The strong opinion was spoken by a severe young man with inky black hair and a pair of rimless spectacles. The boy opposite him, one with tousled brown hair partially hidden underneath a hat decorated with a pokeball decal, nodded absently. The words spoken by that strange man, Ghetsis, tumbled round and round in his head. He unconsciously squeezed the squirming Snivy in his arms, earning an affronted hiss. He muttered an apology, loosing his grip and receiving a more contented noise in return. 

"Your Pokemon, just now it was saying.." a man was suddenly towering over the two teenagers, a black and white hat rested atop a long, thick head of tea green hair blotting out the sun. He spoke quickly and breathlessly, as if attempting to forcibly shove the words out of his mouth. Wide green eyes stared imploringly down at them, shining with an odd eagerness. 

"Slow down, you talk too fast. And what's this about Pokemon talking? That's an odd thing to say." The same severe teenager bluntly stood between the stranger and his companion, raising an eyebrow behind his glasses. He itched to reach for his pokeball, but he'd give this weirdo the benefit of the doubt. 

"Of course they're talking." There was a moment of sincere confusion upon the stranger's face, before it was replaced by a frown. "Oh, so you two cannot hear them either. How sad. My name is N," he shifted gears abruptly, suddenly remembering that most humans valued manners. 

"Well, my name is Cheren, and this is Touya." He gestured to the other boy, who offered a shy wave from behind the safety of his Snivy. "We're trainers that have been asked by Professor Juniper to complete the Pokedex. We've only just left on our journey, though. Of course, my main goal is to become champion." He spoke as if this were something he took great pride in. 

"Completing the Pokedex, hm? So you will confine many, many Pokemon in pokeballs for your own purposes. I'm a trainer as well, but I cannot help wondering.. are Pokemon really happy that way?" He shifted gears faster than a Klinklang, peering around Cheren at Touya, who looked startled to be receiving N's attention. "So, Touya, was it? Let me hear your Pokemon's voice again!" And with the flash of an opening Pokeball, their first battle began. 

It was over within minutes. N's Purrloin, lazy, languid, and limber, was no match for the slick and startlingly savage Snivy at Touya's disposal. The cat Pokemon gave a bored sounding cry of defeat after the final Contrary boosted tackle, limping exaggeratedly over to paw at N's pant leg. He quickly returned the "injured" Pokemon, just as Touya was excitedly scooping his Snivy off the ground and showering him with praise. The grass snake preened and basked in the attention, shooting a smug look over his shoulder at N. The taller trainer stared down at his confined Purrloin, a look of deep contemplation on his face. "As long as Pokemon are confined in pokeballs, they will never become perfect beings. I need to change the world for Pokemon, because they are my friends." His gaze lingered momentarily on the trainer that had just defeated him, before quickly snapping away. He uttered no farewell as he turned to leave.

"What a strange guy," Cheren remarked once N had disappeared down a side street. "Whatever, it isn't important. Everyone knows trainers and Pokemon help one another out. Listen, I'm going on ahead to challenge the gym leader in Striaton. Be sure to challenge every gym leader, otherwise you won't be able to get into the league. Well, Touya, I guess this is goodbye for now. Maybe next time we meet you'll have a badge too." He offered a small smile and a pat on the shoulder to his friend, turning on a heel to walk away. Touya uttered a weak 'goodbye' to his retreating back, but it went unheard. Nothing particularly new for him. The fledgling trainer sighed and sat upon one of the park's benches, cradling his Snivy.

"You did really well, Louis. I can't believe we actually won our first real trainer battle." The tiny grass snake huffed in mock offense, prompting a hasty backpedal from his trainer. "N-not that I didn't think you could do it, it's just that I haven't really gotten much practice yet and I'm not really confident with giving commands and I'm not completely clear on all the rules of trainer battles and-" 

"He was teasing you, I believe," came a voice from directly behind him. Touya uttered a tiny shriek and whipped around, catching sight of the same trainer he'd just finished battling. "I wanted to catch you alone, so I waited for your friend to leave." N appeared blissfully oblivious to how creepy that sounded. "I was hoping we could converse further." N navigated around the bench and sat uncomfortably close to the other trainer, prompting the grass snake to protectively wrap his tail around his trainer's wrist, hissing distrustfully at N. The older trainer was baffled by the possessive display. "Your Pokemon wishes to protect you from me. Hm. I intend no harm upon your trainer, little one. I simply wish to speak to you both further. Touya, how long have you been a trainer? Your friend said you had both only recently started your journey, under the orders of Professor Juniper no less.. you are from Nuvema, correct? Being as this is only the next town over, I cannot imagine you have been a trainer for more than a day, two at the most." Touya simply blinked up at him in a stunned silence, mouth moving but words remaining unformed. "I can scarcely remember the first time I met a Pokemon; I've been surrounded by them my entire life. I have been able to understand them for just as long. Strangely enough, I have not found another human with that particular ability, despite how close people claim to be with their Pokemon." N's words didn't so much flow as violently crash into one another like a pair of colliding trains, syllables piling on top of one another in a violent mess of sound. Touya was left reeling and hanging on to every word, trying to piece them together into some semblance of sense.

"I-I, uh.." he paused, waiting to be cut off, only to find N staring intently at him. He flushed under the intense scrutiny, clearing his throat. "I've only been a trainer since this morning, yes. I met Louis-Snivy-right when I woke up. The professor had sent us, me and my friends, a box containing all the starters, in pokeballs. We've been training for the gym ever since we left home. O-oh, and we battled you, of course." Touya cringed lightly, unsure if he'd said the right thing or not.

"As I'd thought. You are yet uninfluenced by the views of others, so perhaps you might be willing to listen to mine?" N's expression had changed into something calculating, as if Touya were a particularly challenging equation that had to be solved. He didn't wait for an answer before continuing to speak. "You heard what Team Plasma said, of course. About how we might presume too much on our relationship with Pokemon. How we might treat them unfairly, and only assume that they are as happy with the arrangement as we are. Touya... every Pokemon I have ever met has been abused by cruel humans. Beaten, forced to battle until they could no longer stand, shoved in a box, only to be removed for breeding. Disgusting behavior-no! Unacceptable behavior!" N's voice slowly rose in volume and fervor, startling the timid trainer he sat beside. 

"B-but not every trainer is like that-"

"Are you trying to tell me that it is not the norm to battle a Pokemon until they can barely move, only to return them to a Pokemon center so that they can be healed and then battled again? That most trainers will not catch a Pokemon and never take it out of the box? That trainers won't breed dozens of Pokemon, trying to produce the "ideal" specimen? Can you tell me with absolute certainty that these things do not happen?" 

"W-well, I-" 

"To catch a Pokemon in a pokeball; that is imprisonment. The Pokeball is both shackle and chain. It keeps them contained as well as bound to us. How would you feel if you were attacked one day, beaten into near unconsciousness and then forced into a ball, only given freedom to fight others?" N's voice carried beyond their little bubble now, thankfully not loud enough to attract outside attention. Touya was near tears at this point, hugging Louis to his chest and struggling to form words. "I assure you, you would not enjoy it. Fighting against your will, day after day, never to be freed unless traded, and even then a worse fate might await you! It is absolutely abhorrent that humans believe this to be acceptable, and that they have the gall to say that Pokemon enjoy it! It.."

The impassioned trainer trailed off, catching sight of glistening tears in his audience's eyes. "..The truth is a painful thing, Touya. I should have been more delicate in revealing it to you. I apologize, for I am not very good at conversing with humans. I seem to be good at upsetting them, however." He reached out as if to awkwardly pat Touya on the shoulder, only to slowly recoil when the boy's Snivy hissed threateningly at him. "..I will take my leave. Think about what I have said to you, and what Team Plasma has said. Decide for yourself what the right thing to do is.. if an ideal world is one where Pokemon are free of humans." N eased himself off the bench, shooting a look that swam with something like remorse at the watery eyed teenager. He said nothing more, and simply turned to exit the park. Touya remained on that bench until the sun kissed the horizon, and the landscape was flooded with orange rays of light. Eventually he returned to the Pokemon center with Louis in tow, where a sleepless night awaited him.


	2. Collision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nacrene city is full of many wonderful works of art, as well as many extraordinary people. Two of them meet for a second time.

Nacrene city was like something from a dream. Dozens of massive warehouses turned into breathtaking murals and painted landscapes, flanked by locally owned trinket shops and restaurants and boutiques. Every brick was an expression, every slat of wood a brush stroke, every coat of paint was... Touya frowned. Well, it was also paint, but it still looked really nice! What he was trying to express to himself was that Nacrene was a beautiful town full of artistry and self expression, and he'd only just arrived but he never wanted to leave. He knew that realistically he'd have to continue on if he wanted to compete in the Pokemon league next spring, but.. he'd make the time to explore the sights; at least for a few days. The lazy Servine wrapped around his neck hissed impatiently, startling his trainer into moving forward. They could sight-see later, after their gym battle. 

Well, at least the Nacrene gym/museum wasn't another butler cafe; not that there was anything wrong with them, of course.. Touya's thoughts drifted someplace else for a few moments, before he blinked himself back into awareness. He cleared his throat needlessly and ignored the slight heat in his cheeks as well as Louis' long-suffering sigh, hurrying up the marble steps leading into the building. He waited anxiously for someone to open the doors so that he could slip in behind them, not wanting to open them himself and disturb or accidentally hit someone. It must have been a slow day, for after several minutes of standing around and waiting the grass snake leapt off Touya's neck and pushed the door open himself, rolling his eyes and hissing under his breath. "A-ah.. thanks," Touya laughed sheepishly, slipping through the crack in the door and scooping the Servine back up once they were safely inside. He eyed the front desk apprehensively, unsure if this was one of those museums where you had to pay an entrance fee or not. When the lady behind the counter said nothing he took a relieved breath and stepped into the museum proper.

Nacrene museum looked nearly as old as the exhibits within it. The older architecture and the way everything was slightly worn down and dulled made it feel almost archaic, which Touya found to be oddly enjoyable. He spent at least half an hour browsing the exhibits nearest the entrance, whispering excitedly to his Servine whenever he found something particularly interesting. The other patrons paid him little mind, snapping pictures despite the 'no flash photography' signs and talking casually within their little groups.

Before long the newbie trainer found himself among a number of Pokemon related exhibits, which appeared to get quite a bit more traffic. He peered at ancient fossils and artists' recreations of ancient Pokemon, and spent a short while inspecting a dull white stone that appeared smoother than the glass it was contained in. Finally he turned to the largest exhibit in the room; a preserved skeleton of a large dragon type Pokemon. He subtly attempted to worm his way through the small crowd without disturbing or touching anyone, stopping in his tracks when he caught sight of the person that had almost ended his Pokemon journey before it could begin. That strange trainer, N, stood directly in front of the skeleton, playing idly with the odd cube he always carried as he stared in deep contemplation at the dragon's skull. Touya stood several feet back, unsure if he should approach the other trainer. Unsure if he wanted to approach the other trainer. 

"It's a Dragonite, you know." N had apparently decided for him. Touya stepped up beside the taller man, looking over the skeleton with an appraising eye. 

"Is that what it says on the plaque?" 

"It's fairly obvious from the structure of the skull and width of the ribs. Dragonite are typically large in stature with short limbs and a rounded snout. This one was old as well, judging from the condition of the skeleton. It likely flew here from Kanto, trying to escape the inevitability of its coming demise. Being as they are so incredibly rare, it's no wonder that it was put on display, instead of left in peace." There was a bitter edge to N's clinical explanation. 

"You'd have wanted it to be left alone, then?" Touya could understand why. N probably saw it as disrespectful to let people oogle at the Dragonite's skeleton.

"That would have been greatly preferable." N finally turned around to actually look at Touya, mindful to keep a respectful distance. He peered at the gleaming eyes of the Servine hidden in the boy's hoodie. "You do realize that it is against museum policy to have a Pokemon out of its ball while inside, don't you?" Touya blanched and reached to fumble with the zipper of his bag, but N's raised hand gave him pause. "It's too late now. The flash of the pokeball would give you away, and you'd still be kicked out. You're here for the gym, I presume. The library is in the back, behind the mineral section. I hope you have a fighting type to combat Lenora's normal types." N's dispassionate gaze roamed around the room, eventually resting back on Touya. "I had planned to test you myself, but you were late. It will have to wait until later, I suppose." The green haired trainer turned to slip away into the crowd, leaving Touya sputtering for a response. 

"This will be a two on two battle between the gym leader Lenora and the challenger, Touya Blaire. Only one switch in is allowed; healing items are prohibited until the battle has concluded. The winner is decided when both their opponent's Pokemon is unable to battle. Begin!" The gym appointed referee waved his flag from the sidelines of the battlefield, signaling the beginning of the battle.

"Alright challenger, it's time to show me what you've got! Watchog, let's start out with a Hypnosis!"

"Louis, keep your eyes closed and hit it with a Leaf Tornado!" 

And so the battle commenced. Short, tense minutes passed as the opposing trainers issued counteracting commands, their Pokemon firing off attacks and status moves one after the other. Servine's erratic slithering and whirling leaf tornadoes served to disorient Lenora's Watchog better than any Confuse Ray, and the hardy Lookout Pokemon eventually succumbed to a draining Leech Seed. The Herdier that came next was quite a bit harder to take down, its howling barks managing to stun the Servine long enough for it to charge into a brutal Retaliate. The Herdier's downfall came in the form of Servine's Contrary, which boosted the grass snake's attack after the initial Intimidate. One powerful Slam was all it took to slow the Loyal Dog Pokemon down long enough to be finished by a final Leaf Tornado. 

"Herdier is unable to battle! The winner is... Challenger Touya!" Said challenger barely contained an unmanly squeal, lifting his battered Servine off the ground and showering the Pokemon with praise. He received a tired hiss in response, prompting him to hastily dig into his bag to find a potion. 

Lenora watched on with a fond smile, always happy to see a trainer that truly valued their Pokemon. She stepped up to the teenager, reaching into the pocket of her apron to retrieve a rectangular strip of metal. "Well, Touya, was it? Congratulations on winning your Basic Badge. And with only one Pokemon, too! I must be losing my touch," she joked. 

Touya laughed nervously, accepting the badge with trembling fingers. "Thank you very much, miss Lenora. It was, um, quite the battle. But Louis deserves all the praise, really." Said Pokemon peered smugly up at the gym leader, prompting a laugh. 

"He certainly showed his stuff, didn't he? Well, you two are always welcome back here at the Nacrene gym. Don't be strangers!" 

A few hours later found a boy and his Pokemon at the Warehouse Cafe, one enjoying a cup of spiced tea and the other devouring a plate of tiny Sitrus berry tarts. The sun was beginning to set from underneath a blanket of clouds, washing out the city in shades of cool grey. Touya chatted easily to his Servine, more easily than he talked to either of his best friends. That was a bit of a concerning thought, actually, but it was buried under the elation of having won their second gym badge. 

"I assume you've defeated gym leader Lenora, then? Or perhaps this is consolatory instead of congratulatory. Although neither of you seems quite downcast enough for that." N appeared as if from nowhere, as that seemed to be his preferred method of arrival, taking the third seat at Touya and Louis' table, prompting a startled noise from the trainer and a wary glare from the Pokemon. "Trainers always seem quite upset after losing a gym battle; not for the right reasons, of course. They care not that they've just senselessly injured their own and another's Pokemon in the name of a piece of metal." N appeared to have brought his own cup of tea, steaming hot and filled to the brim. "Manners dictate that I apologize for my interruption, and congratulate you on your victory." The other trainer stared at him, waiting for either of those two things. "Oh, yes. Sorry and congratulations. Touya, I wanted to speak with you again. I.. wish to see things that no others can. The truths of Pokemon inside of pokeballs. The ideals of how trainers should be. A future, where Pokemon have become perfect. Do you feel the same?"

"I-I think so-"

N swiftly interrupted. "I believe my friends and I should test you, to see if you can see this future as well." He produced three pokeballs from his pocket, beginning to thumb the release on one of them-

"N, wait! Do we.. really have to battle? You hate battling, right? So.. why do it?" There was no accusation in Touya's tone, simply curiosity. 

"I.. cannot tell you that. Not yet. All I can say is that the bond between you and your Pokemon has.. given me much to think about. I wished to confirm something by battling you, but if you don't believe it to be necessary... then perhaps you do not feel as strongly. Or you feel the same as I." Realization dawned on N's face. "You.. have you caught any Pokemon since we've met?" 

"I, uh.." Touya flushed, fidgeting in his seat. "I thought about what you said, about pokeballs being prisons, and... I decided not to use them the way they're intended for. I've asked Pokemon if they wanted to come along with me, instead of battling them. None have said yes, but.. I'm still hopeful." He offered the other trainer a tentative smile, noting the widening of N's eyes. 

"Then you do understand. But still you persist in battling. I.. suppose we cannot have exactly the same views. They've always opposed one another in some way..." N appeared to be talking more to himself at this point, his gaze far away. Touya made a sound of confusion, receiving a bright eyed stare from the green haired trainer. "Touya, I thank you for listening to my words. There are many who would discard them as nonsense, but you listened, and understood. But.. even that is not enough. My friends and I are not yet strong enough to change the world ourselves. I need power, power enough to make anyone agree with me.. I need Zekrom! The legendary dragon that, along with the Hero, created the Unova region. It's my turn to become that hero-and you and I shall be friends!" N reached across the table to clasp Touya's hands between his own, smiling brilliantly. "I must take my leave of you now, but we will meet again!" And then he was off, leaving behind a piping hot cup of tea, a bewildered Servine, and a red faced Touya.

As the next morning dawned, the museum's curator woke to find that the Dragonite skeleton display had disappeared.


	3. Calamity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nimbasa, the city of lights. A city unlike any other. Fitting that two unique trainers would have a night unlike any other within it.

Route 4 was awful. Touya had decided it, and he'd declared it, and so it had become an indisputable truth. The desert sun was blistering, even in early October. The sand was dry and endless and got into every crack and crevice that it could. Touya remembered one particular incident when he'd taken off his cap and inadvertently showered himself in sand. But he'd persevered, exploring both the Desert Resort and the ruins within, conversing and battling with whatever Pokemon he came across. None had been willing to tag along on his journey, but a surprising number had helped him traverse the desert for a short ways, preventing him from getting lost or falling in quicksand. He still couldn't understand them the way N claimed he could, with perfect clarity, but the young trainer found himself picking up on the various expressions and body language of the Pokemon; he even started learning the different intonations of their cries. Something about simply interacting with the Pokemon instead of battling them or trying to catch them was... pleasant. Save for a few cases they were always willing to listen to him, and some even seemed interested in what he had to say. He'd spent days building crumbling sand castles with energetic Darumaka, playing hide-and-seek among the dunes with Louis and various Sandile, and trying to learn how to dance from a troupe of friendly Maractus. Well, now that he thought about it... maybe Route 4 wasn't as bad as he'd first thought. 

But eventually, all good things had to come to an end. He spent one last day among the shifting sands and wild Pokemon of the Desert Resort, saying his goodbyes before he moved on, toward Nimbasa city. The road north stretched on quite a ways, composed entirely of hot asphalt and a scarce few trainers travelling on the side of the road. He engaged in battles when prompted, too nervous to try and refuse a challenge on the grounds of being dead on his feet. Luckily for him, his Servine remained a powerful force of nature, dispatching the opposing Pokemon with grace and overleveled strength. Touya had started to notice that Louis had started becoming larger and leafier, which most likely signaled how close he was to evolving. Funny enough, the Trainer School hadn't covered the signs of evolution, only the effects. Maybe it was the education that was lacking, and not the trainers. Speaking of trainers, Touya had forced himself to start paying more attention to his opponents, both their battle styles and the way they interacted with their Pokemon. He'd seen little in the way of the outright abusive or neglectful behavior that N spoke of; rather, he saw cherished friendships and even familial love. At worst he'd seen some trainers treat their Pokemon simply as battling partners, but even then they appeared well taken care of. Maybe N had just been exposed to the wrong kinds of people, and it had jaded him to the point where he couldn't see the good in any trainers? Touya would have to ask him, next they met. But for now, he had to focus on not faceplanting onto the asphalt and passing out. What he wouldn't give for a water type to cool him down.

Several miles and a setting sun later found the sandy roadsides turning into scrub lands, and then into well manicured grasses. He took a brief reprieve under an overpass and crested a small hill, and then his breath was stolen away. Nimbasa city glowed with an almost magical light, as if it'd plucked the very stars from the sky and painted them every color of the rainbow. The sea of illuminant beauty that stretched out before him blew Castelia's glowing billboards and legions of street lamps out of the water. The sleepy darkness of dusky Nuvema was all he'd ever really known before his journey, and seeing a city light up as if to simulate the light of the sun was an extremely contrasting sight. He wanted to explore every inch of it, to feel the glow of neon lights and experience a night that was even more lively than the day. And then the plans formulating in his mind were swiftly and concisely ruined by the appearance of Team Plasma members, who seemed to be harassing an old man on the side of the road. They cried out overly dramatic shouts of alarm upon seeing his approach, fumbling for their pokeballs. Apparently word had gotten around that he was disrupting the plans of Plasma Grunts. A short two-on-one battle later found the two Plasma Grunts hightailing it into Nimbasa as Touya attempted to help the man they'd been terrorizing. He received a bicycle for his troubles, along with a free one time coupon for the Pokemon Daycare. He spent only a few moments wondering where the old man had been keeping that bicycle before mounting it and pedaling off after the fleeing grunts. 

Touya barely managed a few minutes of biking before he had to screech to a halt, narrowly avoiding running over a tall, green haired trainer with a Deerling-in-headlights expression on his face. "Touya, it's you! You're looking for Team Plasma, right? Come with me, I saw them head into the amusement park." N's hasty exclamation gave Touya no time for contemplation. He barely had time to dismount his bike before one of his hands was stolen and he was frantically grasping for the metal frame with the other as he was dragged along. 

"W-wait, N, how did you know I was looking for Team Plasma?" Touya's sneakers dragged across the sidewalk as he struggled to keep up with the other trainer's longer strides.

"They were shouting something about a boy with a Servine that had defeated them. I'm.. not sure why they were doing that, actually." N frowned briefly before discarding the thought from his head. They jogged in silence for a scant few minutes, before happening upon the entrance to the busy amusement park that just happened to house the Nimbasa gym, as well as numerous rides and attractions. "Come, let us ride the ferris wheel. We'll have a better chance of seeing them up there." Thankfully the line for the pokeball themed attraction was short, and N was able to quickly hand over the required number of tickets that he had.. pre-purchased? Touya's confusion escalated as they clambered aboard one of the pokeball shaped passenger cars, the door sliding shut behind them. He sat gingerly on the metal bench within, hyper aware of the way his thigh just barely pressed against N's. This really wasn't the time for thoughts like that, he scolded himself. 

"Do you.. uhm, see them yet?" Touya peered out through the window, squinting to try and catch sight of the distinctive uniforms of the Plasma Grunts. 

N didn't respond for several moments, lost in his own world. He played idly with the golden bangles on his wrist. "I love ferris wheels. The circular motion, the mechanics... they're like collections of elegant formulas." He turned, resting one hand on Touya's leg as he stared intently at the boy. "I was not entirely truthful about why I brought you up here. There is.. something I must tell you." Touya swore his heart skipped a beat. The hand on his leg, the intimate setting, the look in N's eyes... this was a confession, wasn't it? N was confessing to him on a romantic ferris wheel ride and the way the lights reflected in his eyes was breathtaking and all Touya could think about was how N looked when he smiled. His gaze flickered between N's eyes and his lips, which looked slightly chapped but still so soft and inviting and-Touya wasn't going to screw this one up. His heart fluttered and he swallowed a lump in his throat. His eyes were half lidded as he leaned in, lips slightly puckered. He could feel the warmth of the other trainer, could feel the breath on his cheeks, and he was just a moment away from feeling what it was like to kiss someone when N spoke. 

"I am the king of Team Plasma."

Reality crashed into Touya like a wrecking ball. He could swear that the sound of shattering glass echoed loudly inside his head, then the tiny shards being smashed into powder. He swiftly leaned backwards, cheeks flaring with color as he stared, eyes wide and lost. "Y-you.. what?" Dread crept up his spine like twisted fingers, digging into the nodules of his vertebrae.

"Ghetsis asked me to help him save Pokemon. I wonder how many Pokemon there are in this world.." N used his conversational equivalent of Shift Gear, looking uncomfortable and unsure of himself. They both started as the passenger car eased to a stop at ground level, neither of them looking at each other as they departed. N appeared to be anticipating some sort of reaction, and Touya was still reeling from the other trainer-no, from the king of Team Plasma's words. 

And then things got even worse. A pair of slightly sweaty Plasma Grunts rounded the corner, elation lighting their faces as they caught sight of their king, swiftly replaced by comical terror when they realized he was standing beside the trainer that had so swiftly defeated them. "My lord N, watch out! That boy, he defeated us and foiled our mission!" 

"Do not worry," N stated, looking eerily collected. "You were chosen to help us save Pokemon. Thus, you are under my protection. Go now, quickly, and let my battle cover your retreat!" He fished out a pokeball and released a Sandile in a flash of light, attracting the attention of several amusement park patrons. The pair of grunts blubbered their thanks before running off. "Touya, do you follow my logic?"

"N-.. no. No, I don't." Touya's eyes were steely, despite the tears shining in them. He thumbed the release on Louis' pokeball, the Servine materializing before him with a hissing battle cry.

N took a step back, startled, and took a moment to reply. "I see. That's a shame. Then.. the future I envision.. I cannot beat you here and now, but I shall battle anyway to buy time for these members of Team Plasma to retreat. Now, Sandile, use Assura-"

"Leaf Blade, hit it hard!" Touya commanded, and Servine rushed to obey. The grass snake's tail glowed a bright green, slamming hard into the surprised Sandile. The Desert Croc was swept aside by the powerful attack, left in a dizzy, disoriented heap. 

N's lips tightened and he swiftly returned the ground type, reaching for his second pokeball. A Scraggy swaggered into battle, glaring fiercely at the opposing Servine. "Quickly, use Bric-"

"Leech Seed it, then Leaf Blade!" Servine was a blur of motion, slithering in looping circles around the attacks of the Scraggy. Several small seeds were shot out of a fold in Louis' tail at the opposing dark type, and they quickly sprouted thick roots that wrapped around it and began sapping its energy. As the Scraggy struggled to break free of the confining roots and N fumbled to issue commands, an incoming Leaf Blade knocked the opposing Pokemon flat on the ground. Touya barely seemed aware of the battle taking place, eyes locked directly on the trainer opposite him.

"Darumaka, let's go!" N threw out his third Pokemon, and the energetic fire type leapt into a cartwheel. "Fire Punch!"

"Aqua Tail!" The Darumaka landed a glancing blow on the Servine before a glowing blue tail smashed into it like a tidal wave. 

"Where did you-?" N's eyes widened as his third Pokemon was swiftly knocked out, stunned by the sheer ferocity of the normally timid trainer and his lazy Pokemon. His final pokeball flew high in the air, releasing a Sigilyph that floated well above the battlefield. "Quickly, use Air Cutter!" The Sigilyph trilled in acknowledgement, wings flapping up a powerful gust of cutting wind. The Servine below slithered frantically out of the way, but the sheer volume of attacks was too much. The damage continued building up until, with a cry, the Servine collapsed. 

Touya seemed to snap out of whatever trance he'd been in, concern etching into his face. "Louis!" He reached for his pokeball, prepared to return his starter, but something stopped him. No, he wasn't going to lose to N. He was going to beat the so called 'king' of Team Plasma and demand some answers! "Louis, get up! We can beat him, I know it, I know you can do it!" There was a moment of silence, the onlookers watching with bated breath as the battered Servine slowly picked himself off the ground. Then, in a flash of radiant white light, something changed. The previously short and slender Servine began changing shape, expanding outwards and upwards from underneath a shimmering layer of light. Where once stood a tiny grass snake that barely passed Touya's knee was now an eleven foot Serperior, tall and proud and brimming with determination. Touya reflected that same determination, a grin stretching across his face. "Alright, hit him with a Hidden Power, and then finish it with a Leaf Blade!" The royal serpent gave an affirmative cry, beginning to glow an icy blue as orbs of similarly colored energy rose from within his leafy collar. They shot off into the air after the evasive Sigilyph, impacting it with bursts of frozen energy. It trilled in alarm as frost crept up its wings, forcing it to come down to ground level. This spelled its imminent defeat as a long, powerful tail collided with it, knocking the Avianoid Pokemon unconscious. 

N returned his final defeated Pokemon, looking well and truly defeated himself. "You have proven yourself to be quite strong, Touya. But I have a future that I must change." N looked more lively now, that same heated passion and vigor creeping into his voice, permeating his being. "And for that future.. I'll defeat the Champion and become unbeatable, unlike any other! I'll make all trainers free their Pokemon! Just try and stop me! If you want to be together with Pokemon, then your only hope is to collect all the gym badges, and make it into the League! Try and stop me there, if you have the courage! If your conviction is not strong enough, then you will never defeat me." And once more N began his disappearing act. 

"Don't you dare run away from me!" Touya sprung into action, sneakers slapping pavement as he rushed after the fleeing trainer, just barely remembering to return Louis to his pokeball. Thus began a game of cat and mouse, one trainer slipping and ducking through the crowds as another doggedly pursued him. It continued for nearly half an hour, N ducking behind a shooting gallery or the teacups as he cursed his conspicuous looks and height, and Touya pushing his way through crowds of people as he followed a bobbing green head like a beacon. The chase was finally ended by an errant soda can, the flimsy aluminum tripping up the taller trainer as it was crushed under his shoe. He stumbled just long enough for Touya to tackle him to the ground, planting his arms on either side of N's head to cage him in. Both trainers panted for air as they stared at one another, one with conviction and the other with something akin to fear. 

"Well, you've caught me. Whatever it is you plan to do won't work. Ghetsis' machinations are already in motion and cannot be stopped, even in my absen-" And then Touya's lips pressed against his, hard enough that N's words were lost in a confused, incomprehensible mumble. Chapped, oft bitten lips moved tentatively against his own for several long seconds, before slowly pulling away. The pair blinked at one another, words lost between them. 

"OhhhIcan'tbelieveIjustdidthat," Touya whined pathetically, pressing both hands over his reddening face. 

"Is that what you were planning? A... kiss? That's what it's called, I believe. A sign of affection between loved ones. But we aren't related, nor are we married... at least, I don't believe we are. I'm still not sure of the rituals involved in 'marriage'. Is there something specific you have to do? Something I might have done accidentally?" 

"Wh-..what? No, no, we aren't married! I just... we just... u-uhm.." Touya peeked out from behind his hands, something that N found himself oddly endeared by. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't think I was gonna... hold you for ransom, or hit you or something. We.. I wanted to talk. About what you said. The whole... king of Team Plasma thing. You... I think Team Plasma is bad. I know they are, they stole from my friend Bianca, took her Pokemon by force, they stole from a little girl, a child! A-and they were hurting an innocent Munna, and they stole Pokemon in Castelia, too, and I think they were trying to hurt the gym leader or something, and those grunts you saved were harrassing an old man! Does that sound like good people to you?!" Touya panted for air, unused to speaking in such long, emphatic bursts. He recieived a wide eyed look from N, the other trainer surprised by the sudden outburst. 

"I... have not heard of any of these occurences. The only goal for Team Plasma at the moment is to hold rallies, and convince people to release their Pokemon." His eyebrows furrowed, face set in thought. "..This is worrying. This sort of behavior should have been brought to the attention of the sages and myself. ...Thank you Touya, for letting me know. I will find the ones responsible and have them punished for their transgressions."

Touya was overcome by a wave of relief. Knowing that N wasn't the one ordering such heinous activities... He suddenly realized the position they were in, scrambling to remove himself from N's person. "I-I uh.. sorry, about all that. The tackling, and the yelling, and the accusing and stuff. I never thought that you'd be behind things like that, but.. part of me was doubtful, I guess." 

"It is quite alright. I can understand your concerns, having only seen a negative side of Team Plasma. But I can assure you that our goals are noble and just. The actions of these... rogue members will not go unpunished." N pushed himself off the ground, dusting off as he regained his footing. "Now, if that is all you needed, then I believe I must be going.." 

"No, wait!" Touya paused, startled by his own forwardness. "I.. you meant what you said, didn't you? About defeating the champion, and resurrecting the dragons. And.. about making everyone release their Pokemon." Touya rested a hand on his bag, over where he knew his Pokeball rested. 

"Yes, you heard correctly. It is part of Team Plasma's plan to free Pokemon. Only once they are free from humanity can they truly reach their potential." Despite the solidness of N's reply, he looked troubled. 

"..." They could argue about the morality of Pokemon training another time. Right now, Touya had something different in mind. "And... how do you feel, a-about me?" 

"About you?" N cocked his head, mildly bewildered. "You.. intrigue me. You are like no other trainer I've ever met. You truly care about Pokemon, about their feelings, even if you will not release your own. Though we have opposing views we think much the same. We are.. equals, I suppose. Equal, yet not opposite. ...Touya, what do you believe to be the truth?"

And they were talking about Pokemon again. Touya was convinced that N was entirely oblivious to anything involving romance, and resigned himself to that. For now, at least. "The truth is that we could treat Pokemon a lot better than we do. There's bad trainers out there that mistreat their Pokemon, and that's wrong. But it's true that we can learn from our mistakes, and better our relationship with them. It's true that many people love their Pokemon, and their Pokemon love them back. I.." Touya sniffed, eyes swimming with emotion. "I love my Pokemon, and he loves me. And it's the truth that I won't let you separate us." 

N was... enraptured. He'd done it, he really had. He'd found his opposing Hero. Someone so alike yet different in every way that mattered, one that believed in his Truth with absolute conviction. "Touya.." he breathed, eyes sparkling. In a moment of whimsy, he grabbed the other trainer's chin and pulled him close, locking their lips in another one of those kisses that Touya seemed to have so many feelings about. He released the brunet and stepped back, a gleaming smile on his face. "You've given me much to think about, and much hope for the future. But for now... farewell." He received a pathetic whimpering sound in response. Satisfied, he disappeared back into the crowds, leaving a red faced Touya behind. 

Several hours later, a young trainer brimming with confidence and happiness (and several other, more intimate emotions he'd sort through later) stepped off the eighth consecutive roller coaster that marked the end of his journey to battle Elesa, the Nimbasa city gym leader. He then proceeded to violently throw up all over his shoes.


	4. Catalyst

Of all the places Touya had seen, and all the wonderful experiences he'd had, Chargestone Cave rated among the very highest. The electromagetically charged cavern was like something Touya had only seen in movies, lit an electric blue by the numerous magnetic crystals that hovered above the ground. He'd only half listened to Professor Juniper's (slightly lacking) explanation of how it all worked, but even with a lacking knowledge of the mechanics behind it, he still found them absolutely enrapturing. Best of all, he was left to experience it on his own. As much as he enjoyed Bianca's company she wasn't really the best listener, and he could only take her in small doses at a time. And while he was extremely grateful to Professor Juniper for allowing him to go on such a wonderful journey, he dreaded the thought of having to explain why it was that he hadn't actually caught any new Pokemon. Louis had come from the professor herself, and his newly hatched Rufflet had been given to him as an egg by a trainer he'd met in the battle subway. He'd have to remember to call her when he got to Mistralton. But for the moment he was happy to explore his surroundings, and chat with the various wild Pokemon he found. The Boldore seemed mostly uninterested in what he had to say, and the Ferroseed shot Pin Missiles at him when he got too close. That left a small school of Tynamo, which he let nibble at his fingertips in exchange for some company, and a tiny Joltik that he found caught in a crack in the wall. 

"Here buddy, let me help you with that." Touya carefully wedged a fingertip into the wall, hooking his fingers around the front of the Joltik and pulling, until it finally popped free onto the cave floor. The tiny spider Pokemon skittered around in a circle, trying to get it's bearings, before squeaking gratefully up at the trainer. "Not a problem, I was happy to help. Say, you wanna walk with me a while, maybe tell me about this place?" The Joltik squeaked in affirmation, scuttling up Touya's leg and around his torso, eventually settling in the fluffy hair hidden under his hat, where it could absorb his natural static electricity. Touya carefully pulled back his hat so that the tiny Joltik could see out from underneath it, biting back laughter from the ticklish feet against his scalp. "C'mon, let's see if there's any other Pokemon we can find." He continued onward with his new companion in tow, listening intently to the squeaks and chirps of the Clinging Pokemon. 

They had returned to the main path of the cave when a trio of figures emerged as if from nowhere, clad in garb that was similar to that of a stereotypical ninja. Touya barely had time to shout in alarm before a gloved hand was pressed over his mouth, and two pairs of arms were grabbing at his shoulders. He froze up, panic lancing through him as his eyes frantically darted between the concealed faces of his assailants. 

"...Come." He was unable to tell which one spoke, and the tone was bland and monotonous enough to be entirely forgettable. The trio forcibly led him along the same path he'd already been walking on, taking him around a sharp corner so that he was face to face with.. N! "My lord N, we've brought the boy you requested." 

"Yes, wonderful. You are dismissed." The king of Team Plasma received the barest hint of a nod before the trio vanished on the spot, leaving behind a bewildered and frightened Touya. "That was the Shadow Triad, just now. Ghetsis enlisted them into Team Plasma. They were apparently the ones that set up the Galvantula nest, at the cave entrance." N made his approach, peering at the shaken boy in front of him with a curious glint in his eyes. "Chargestone Cave... I like this place. Formulas express electricity and its connection to Pokémon... If people did not exist, this would be an ideal place. You have been chosen, you know. Does it surprise you I said that?"

Touya blinked, still rattled from his encounter. "I-I.. chosen?"

"Yes, of course. Such news should be a surprise." N clasped his hands in front of him, looking slightly uncomfortable. He apparently didn't plan to elaborate. "I told Ghetsis about you and your friends. After I did, he apparently used the Shadow Triad to find out about you. Cheren is pursuing the ideal of strength. Poor Bianca has faced the sad truth that not everyone can become stronger. And you are not swayed either way--more of a neutral presence. Which is apparently a good thing. Team Plasma will be waiting for you ahead. Ghetsis wants to see what kind of Pokémon Trainer you really are." The enigmatic trainer did an about face and headed off deeper into the cave, apparently not looking for any sort of response. 

"N, wait!" Touya stumbled forwards, turning the same corner that N had disappeared around only to find that the king truly had vanished. "Great. I get no explanation, and now I have to fight more Plasma Grunts. At least it'll be easy.." He fished a pair of shrunken pokeballs from his bag, smiling slightly at the confident squeak that emanated from the top of his head. 

The rest of the cave became extremely formulaic. Fight a Plasma Grunt, turn a corner. Fight a Plasma Grunt, trip over a Dusk Stone. Fight a pair of Plasma Grunts, go down some stairs. Fight even more Plasma Grunts, and finally make it to the exit of the cave, where none other than the king of Team Plasma was waiting for him. 

"Touya, you've made it. I had the utmost confidence in you." N blissfully ignored the choked sputter and reddening cheeks that were the response. He glanced down at his hands before looking back up, as if checking pre-prepared notes. "Many different values mix together, and the world becomes gray... That is unforgivable! I will separate Pokémon and people, and black and white will be clearly distinct! Only then will Pokémon become perfect beings! Yes, that is my dream! That is the dream I must fulfill! Touya, do you have a dream of your own?" N spoke with the same vigor and enthusiasm that he normally did when such topics came up, but something about his little speech felt.. forced. 

Touya frowned lightly as he noticed N's slightly off behavior, but ignored it for the moment. "Yes, I do." Though his self esteem had risen over the course of his journey, he wasn't quite confident enough to state his dream out loud. 

"You have a dream... that's wonderful. I'll learn just what kind of dream you have--in battle!"  
With a flick of his wrist N tossed out a pokeball, releasing a hulking Boldore. The Ore Pokemon made a sleepy sort of grinding noise, shuffling in place. 

"N, really, we don't have to battle anymore-" 

"But we must! Trainers learn best about one another through the medium of battle!" N's words sounded increasingly forced, but the determination in his eyes was entirely genuine. 

"C-can't we just talk abou-" Touya was cut off by the sound of a ferocious squeak, his hat falling to the ground as the Joltik that had been resting on his head leapt in front of the monumentally larger Boldore. The tiny spider Pokemon blasted the rock type with a vicious 'ZZZAP' of electricity, injuring the Boldore to the point where only its Sturdy ability kept it standing. Before it could retaliate it was overcome with a wave of static, paralyzed by the powerful discharge. The Joltik braced itself before leaping up into the air, launching its tiny body right in between the Boldore's ears. The rock type made a sort of creaking groan, wobbling back and forth before it crashed to the ground with a mighty thud. Both trainers stared, speechless, as the electric spider squeaked triumphantly before skittering its way into Touya's bag to begin inspecting all of his stuff. "..."

"...Perhaps a battle is not in our best interest, after all." N fumbled to return his Boldore, an air of bitterness descending upon him. "Just as well. It's impossible for me to win while feeling bad about being a Trainer. As if I could pursue my ideals with something as meaningless as a battle! As if that could make me worthy to become friends with the legendary Pokémon!" As Touya made to step forwards and reassure the self loathing trainer, he was interrupted by a pair of voices.

"You have good ears, Bianca. I can't believe you heard Touya's voice from so far away!" The professor and her self appointed bodyguard turned the corner, stopping a few feet short of the pair of trainers. "And who is this trainer, Touya? A friend of yours?" 

"Professor Juniper," said trainer just about spat, "What are you thinking? You appear to have no qualms about the relationship between Pokémon and people. You put Pokémon into categories using arbitrary rules and think you can understand them like that... The very idea of a Pokédex revolts me. What do you have to say for yourself?"

The professor blinked, frazzled by the sudden show of hostility. "Well, you certainly don't appear to be my biggest fan. Your opinion is understandable. It also happens to be different from mine, which is equally understandable. What if all people get to decide for themselves how they relate to Pokemon?" 

N appeared gravely offended at the very idea. "You're saying I should just allow people to think whatever they want and treat Pokémon however they want, no matter whether the Pokémon suffer? I refuse to tolerate the existence of a world like that!" Clearly fed up with the conversation, he turned to exit the cave. 

"Well, I didn't expect him to change his mind right away. But I hope he'll spend a little time trying to understand how others feel. Now, then… I think I'll go collect a little more data. For Pokémon and people to get along better, we need to take steps to learn more about them!" The professor turned back around the way she came, apparently forgetting that Touya was the reason she'd come to the exit in the first place. Bianca hurried to follow after her, sparing a wave goodbye at her childhood friend before disappearing around the corner. 

"..That could have gone better," Touya sighed to himself, sinking down to rest his back against the wall of the cave. He peered into the depths of his bag, catching sight of the glinting eyes of the Joltik. "Just what are you doin' in there, huh? Don't you want to be getting on your way?" He received a squeak and a pair of waving mandibles in response, the Joltik burrowing deeper among his various items, making sure to inspect each one closely before moving on. "You.. want to come with me?" There was an affirmative squeak. "Well, I guess that settles it. Welcome aboard! I can introduce you to your new teammates when we get to the Pokemon center." The Joltik made a shrill noise at the prospect of new friends, crawling around and prodding curiously at the various pokeballs stuffed haphazardly into the bag. Touya couldn't help but laugh. "You look eager to meet them. Guess I'd better hurry, then." With a wide smile and hope in his heart, Touya stepped through the exit of Chargestone Cave. He then proceeded to slip and fall into a patch of mud the moment he stepped out into the viciously raging rainstorm. 

An hour later found him safely contained within the walls of a warm, dry Pokemon center, sequestered away in a steaming hot shower. He'd spent the last twenty minutes introducing Louis and George to their new partner (dubbed Curio, owing to her nature of crawling on and inspecting everything she could) and securing them lunch, all while splattered with drying mud. Lucky for him that the center had a washer and dryer in it, otherwise he would have had to buy another new set of travel clothes (RIP original travelling clothes, ended before their time by an overexcited Trubbish). He had several sets of casual clothes and winter wear, of course, but it just felt right to travel in the outfit he'd left home in. But for now he'd settle with regular day clothes, too shy to lounge around his own rented room, by himself, in just his underwear. He spared a moment to groan and bang his head against the shower wall. 

Freshly showered and dressed, Touya stood in the middle of his room and wondered about what to do. His Pokemon were well fed and rested, so he could always try to challenge the gym. Or he could explore the route outside the city, where there was sure to be a number of interesting Pokemon. He'd also heard tell of the Celestial Tower, a location that was almost guaranteed to have ghost and psychic types. Maybe he'd even find another Pokemon that wanted to come along with him! 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Eight days and many rainstorms later, Touya found himself victoriously clutching a gleaming Jet Badge, with a triumphantly wiggling Galvantula clinging to his back and a cheering Litwick on his shoulder. His day was brightened even further by the sun shining down at him from high in the sky, accompanied by nary a single cloud. A sudden shadow fell over him and he peered up in confusion, finding himself inches away from a familiar face. 

"Touya, I thought you'd be here," N stated loudly over the other trainer's startled shriek. "I had intended to speak with you further back in Chargestone, before we were interrupted. I see you've earned your sixth gym badge." N's tone radiated disappointment, and he stepped away to stare contemplatively into the vague distance. "They may say it is for understanding one another better, but what Trainers really use battles for is to compete... And they hurt each others' Pokémon! Am I the only one who finds this terribly painful? Whatever... I'm going to talk to your Pokémon. I've been living with Pokémon since I was born, so it's easier for me to talk with them than with people. ...Because Pokémon never tell lies. Might I speak with your Serperior?" 

Touya took a moment to recover from the tidal wave of passionate ranting he'd just been hit by, nodding absently as he fished out Louis' pokeball. "Yeah, that's fine I guess. As long as he's okay with it." The Serperior was released in a flash of light, looking slightly put-out that he hadn't been used once during Touya's gym battle. "Hey, buddy. Would you mind.. talking with N for a bit?" Louis peered haughtily down at the green haired trainer, considering him for a long moment before hissing his consent.

"Wonderful. So, Serperior, would you mind telling me what kind of trainer Touya is?" He listened intently to a long series of hisses, nodding slowly when they finally tapered off. "I see. Touya lives with his mother in Nuvema, which is his town of birth, and was given the Pokedex to start his journey. I see. Thank you, Serperior." He turned to address Touya. "Still, this Serperior appears to trust you, for some reason. That's good! If every person and Pokémon cared about one another like you two do, I could watch over the future of people and Pokémon without having to liberate Pokémon from people who just use them." N paced back and forth, not looking directly at Touya or any of his Pokemon.

"Ghetsis is using Team Plasma to search for some special stones--the Light Stone and the Dark Stone... These stones hold the essence of two legendary Pokémon. It is said that when they lost their physical form, they fell into a slumber and were transformed. Now, they wait for the hero's arrival... I shall resurrect a legendary Dragon-type Pokémon from one of these stones, and become its friend. That will show the world that I am the new hero. Everyone will follow what I say!" He was almost shouting now, passion lacing every syllable. "My vision is to change the world without using force. Trying to change the world by force will just make others resist. If people resist, the ones that will be hurt are the innocent Pokémon used by foolish Trainers. You understand. Pokémon are not just tools for people to use!" He whirled around, gripping Touya's shoulders tightly for a short moment before turning away again. 

"As a result... Pokémon and Trainers who care about one another, like you and your Pokémon, will be separated. And that does break my heart a little." N sounded genuinely contrite, turning back around for the second time to gaze upon Touya with sorrowful eyes. "Please understand, this is not something I want to happen. But in the end, the greater good is what matters most. You understand that, don't you?" 

"I understand that you think you're doing what's right. You're doing all this with the best interests of Pokemon in mind. You don't want to hurt anyone, and you don't want to force anyone to do what you want." Touya peered up at the other trainer, face set with resolve. "The truth is, you don't care what Pokemon want, only what you think they want. What YOU want. The truth is that you will hurt people by separating them from Pokemon, and you'll be hurting the Pokemon too. The truth is that you will be forcing people to release their Pokemon through fear. Who would dare to challenge the Hero and his legendary dragon, after all? The truth is.." Realization dawned on Touya's face. "You want me to be your opposing Hero. The Truth to your Ideals. You want me to resurrect the other dragon, because you think I'll take your side, so that we don't have to fight." Touya took his turn to look off in the distance, tumultuous emotions colliding with one another in his gut. "...I don't want to fight you, N. But I will if I have to." 

"I see. It's true that every pair of Heroes have had their differences. It's only natural that you would not feel entirely the same as I. But consider for a moment which fate is worse; a world without Pokemon, or a region of innocent people and Pokemon destroyed by the eternal battle between the legendary dragons?" N waited patiently for an answer, frowning lightly when none came. "I see. We will meet again, in Dragonspiral Tower. I hope for both our sakes that you have an answer by then. But for now.. farewell." N made as if to touch a hand to the side of Touya's face, lowering his hand when the other trainer recoiled from him. "..." N's pained expression fell into one of blank neutrality, and he walked away without another word. 

The sun shined bright down upon him, but Touya still felt as if his entire world had been drenched in grey.


	5. Conceptualization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warm bodies share thoughts in the dark.

Walking through the caverns of Twist Mountain was akin to what Touya imagined the South Pole to feel like. He'd never been well equipped to deal with the cold; he'd spent many days huddled under his blankets next to the heater back in Nuvema. Even with the heavy winter jacket he'd purchased with a concerning chunk of his money, he could still swear that icicles were forming on his extremities. Icy winds sang haunting tunes as they whipped through the snaking caves that ran through Twist Mountain, introducing the underground to December's frost-biting glory. It figured that Touya would happen to be travelling to the coldest spot in Unova during the beginning of the winter months. He'd have waited until the spring, but then he'd never make it into the league in time, and there was no way he could wait until the year after. Not with N and Team Plasma trying to resurrect one of the legendary dragons. Hopefully he'd be able to make it to Icirrus in time to stop them, because the alternative... Well, Touya certainly had no desire to be forced into the role of the opposing Hero. The one good thing that he had going for him was his nearly evolved Litwick, whom he could evolve once more with the Dusk Stone that had nearly killed him back in Chargestone. With Yorkshire's permission, of course. The little candle Pokemon was surprisingly cheerful and easy-going for a ghost, so Touya doubted it'd be an issue. He'd been working closely with the candle Pokemon, trying to coax a Fire Blast out of it. Inferno was all well and good, but considering how frail little Yorkshire was and would continue to be upon evolution, they couldn't afford a miss in battle. So unless he found a TM sometime soon, specialty training was the way to go.

It would help if he had more than one Pokemon that he could use for the gym battle, too. However, none of the Boldore in the cave seemed interested in fighting alongside him. They didn't have much interest in anything, apparently. Maybe the cold was getting to them. An opposing ice type might be useful, but he was kind of terrified of approaching the Cryogonal, and the much friendlier Cubchoo were fiercely protected by the extremely intimidating mother Beartic. That left him to ask around the Gurdurr population, but the majority seemed more inclined to battle than work with him. So he remained at square one, with a single Pokemon to take on the Icirrus gym leader. Brycen, Touya thought his name was. He'd seen the gym leader in a number of movies, surprisingly enough. Where the man found the time to train Pokemon, run a gym, AND be an actor, Touya would never know. 

But that wasn't important at the moment. What was important was finding someplace to warm up, because Touya was sure that at least three of his toes had snapped off inside his boots. He ducked into a side passage leading into a room that appeared coated in ice, and turned to leave before he caught sight of someone painfully familiar. 

"N?" His voice came out in a croak, throat dry from the cold and disuse. The other trainer was stood next to a boulder of ice, staring at it with a quiet little frown. 

"This is an ice rock. When certain Pokemon come in contact with it, it aids in their evolution. Researchers have been studying these stones, attempting to find a way to replicate their effects through artificial means. They intend to harvest these stones and transfer their properties into a more convenient form. Much like the evolutionary stones. Forcing Pokemon to evolve for their own selfish means... sickening. To take from a Pokemon their opportunity to evolve through natural means is criminal." He finally turned to look upon the other trainer, frown firmly in place. "I don't imagine you have an answer for me just yet. It will come to you, in time. You'd best hope it comes before your time is up." 

Touya was suddenly hyper aware of the Dusk Stone tucked away in his bag. "..We could work together. Without the dragons. We could go through the League, and one of us could become Champion, and we'd have enough influence to help Pokemon without forcing people to release them. ...We don't have to do this, N," he pleaded, expression hopeful. 

"Touya... things have already been set in motion. Events that we cannot stop, even if we wished to do so. I never wanted to resort to resurrecting Zekrom. I had hoped that Team Plasma's words alone would be enough to help people realize their wrongdoings. Evidently, it was not enough. Our hands have been forced, Touya. I shall become a Hero, and so shall you. But it is up to you to decide if this will result in an ideal world, or a destroyed one."  
N ascended from the depression that housed the ice rock, looking ill at ease in his winter gear. He pressed a gloved hand to the side of Touya's face before the other boy could react, frown deepening. "You're freezing. We should move somewhere warmer." He grasped Touya's hand in his own, lacing their covered fingers and moving to lead the trainer back out into the maze that was Twist Mountain. 

They eventually found themselves tucked away in a little side cavern, one that was far removed from the winds that plagued much of the rest of the cave. N had pulled out a thermos of hot tea from.. somewhere, and the pair were currently passing it between themselves. They sat shoulder to shoulder, and a blushing Touya alternated between trying to subtly stare at N and shyly looking off in the other direction. Despite their conflict, there was still something painfully attractive about the enigmatic trainer. Beyond his (enrapturing) looks was someone pure-hearted and intelligent and passionate; someone Touya could admire. Of course, Touya had taken a long, hard look at his feelings, and had determined exactly where the line between simple admiration and head-over-heels crush was located. He had stepped well over that line, it seemed.

"You're still shivering. Face this way, so that we might share body heat." N had already turned to face the other trainer, legs tucked neatly underneath him and his jacket unzipped. He was halfway through hiking up his shirt when he was given pause by Touya's startled yelp. 

"W-what are you doing?!" Oh god was it appropriate to stare at N's chest probably not but it was really difficult to look away-

"Body heat is best shared through skin to skin contact. Come, I will not have you become hyopothermic on my watch." N bluntly invaded the other trainer's personal space, unzipping his bulky coat and rolling up his shirt to wrap long, pale arms around Touya's dusky brown torso. He briefly admired the contrast as the other male had a mental meltdown. "You must wrap your arms around me as well if this is to work." N made a pleased noise when Touya obeyed, leaving both trainers encased in the other's warmth. 

Touya was frozen. Warm, comforting arms were coiled around him, bare skin touching and his arms were around N, around his bare torso and he could smell the other trainer, dust and cold and tea leaves permeating the air around him as N's breath washed over his face- Touya had never felt particularly comfortable with taking his shirt off in front of people. Summer trips to Undella Town had always involved Touya staying safely on the beach, building sand castles or reading under a parasol, rarely ever stepping into the actual water and never taking his shirt off to go swimming. He'd never once gotten a full body tan, and even in the winter his arms and face were several shades darker than the rest of him. It wasn't that he was ashamed of his body, even though he'd always had a bit of extra padding (let it never be said that his mother's cooking wasn't both delicious and abundant) and had never been particularly in shape. His journey had started changing that, his constant cardio and questionable eating habits leading him to be relatively fit, even if his belly stubbornly stuck around. It was simply something about exposing himself; the thought of someone staring at his bare body petrified him. He'd never quite figured out what the reason for that was, but he was certainly feeling it now.

Only... why should he? N didn't seem the least bit concerned with what he looked like, or the fact that they were both (mostly) shirtless and embracing. The other trainer had simply been concerned about his health, and had offered to share his own heat to make sure Touya didn't freeze to death. That was probably one of the most selfless things anyone had done for him. So.. maybe everything was alright. Maybe he could be not terrified of N looking at him. Maybe-oh. There was a mouth against his own. That was.. yeah, okay. He slowly opened his eyes (when had he closed them?) to see the look of concern written on N's face. 

"Touya? You were unresponsive, and I needed to get your attention. Excuse my forwardness." It seemed less like offering an apology and more like demanding the other trainer's pardon. 

"H-huh? Oh, uh. It's fine. We should... we can do it again. To share body heat, of course." A faint dusting of color rose to Touya's face, and he anxiously licked his lips before leaning in to press them against the corner of N's mouth. He offered a few more shy little pecks before building up enough courage to properly kiss the other male. He wondered briefly if he was taking advantage of N's naivete, but surely he'd say something if he wasn't comfortable with this, right? Doubt welled up in his gut, and he swiftly pulled away. "Sorry, I uh... are you okay, with... this?"

N blinked as if recovering from a stupor, wide green eyes meeting Touya's own. "Apologies, I was lost in thought. What was it you were saying?" 

Touya deflated like a popped balloon. As if he needed further confirmation that N didn't feel the same way about him. "I just... the kissing thing. Does it.. mean anything to you?" 

"It has several meanings. Kissing is used mainly to express affection, though can also express a desire to comfort another, or be used to display some sort of primitive dominance. I suppose showing affection would be the closest fit for us. We are friends, are we not? It is natural for close friends to show affection in a number of different ways." 

Ugh. Touya wanted to scream. Not that he'd ever do that, of course. He probably didn't even have the capacity to produce a noise that loud. Part of him knew that he should correct N and tell him that no, friends usually didn't kiss one another, but.. that would mean admitting his feelings, and that was almost as terrifying as the thought of becoming the Hero of Truth. Except.. if he didn't become a Hero, then N would have nobody to stop him from creating a world where people are separate from Pokemon. So it was almost inevitable at this point that he'd have to become the Hero of Truth, unless some other unlucky soul stepped up to the plate. Following that logic, there was basically no reason not to tell N about his feelings, because he certainly wasn't going to wait for someone else to do it. "N.. I uh.. the reason I kissed you is because I like you. A lot."

N became confused! "I like you too, Touya. You're a well spoken, intelligent young man with an endearing personality and an endless well of potential. Despite our differences, I find your company quite enjoyable. That is why we are friends, is it not?" 

"N-no, I mean, yes, but... ugh, why is this so hard to saaaaay," Touya groaned, pressing his face against N's collarbone before he remembered exactly what sort of position they were in. He flushed red, leaning back to pull down his shirt and zip up his jacket. "Sorry, I can't... think straight when we're doing that." 

"I'm not sure I understand what you're attempting to say." N appeared slightly put-out when Touya ended their embrace, but zipped up his jacket either way. "Perhaps you should think on it-" 

"No, I need to tell you this now. It can't wait. I..." he took a deep breath, "N I like you in a romantic sense."

"You... wish to marry me?"

"Wha-no! I mean, maybe? Ugh, that isn't what I mean. I want to be with you in a relationship. Like.. boyfriends, or something." He couldn't believe how stupid and childish that sounded. Here they were, about to fight for the fate of Unova, and he wanted to be boyfriends? This was such a stupid idea. Touya had taken to hiding behind his hands at this point, unable to make eye contact with the increasingly bewildered N. 

"You wish to... court me, then? I believe the human term is 'dating'. You are aware that two males cannot produce offspring, yes?" 

"OhmygoshyesIknowthat," Touya sputtered. "I-I didn't mean like that either. I want to kiss you and.. hug you and be around you and stuff. Because I really like being around you. A lot."

"Hm. This is.. unexpected. I enjoy your company as well, but I cannot say for sure if my feelings about you are of a romantic nature or not. Forgive me, I am not well versed in human relations."

"It's alright if you say no. It.. I've just never felt about anyone this way before, so it's new to me too. And I was hoping.. we could learn together?" Touya offered up a fragile smile, hoping with all his heart that they could put aside this Hero business, and simply be Touya and N.

"I.." N hesitated, searching for the proper words. "It is a tempting prospect. However, our current situation is not conducive to a relationship of this nature. Perhaps once our conflict has ended-" 

"But there doesn't have to be a conflict!" Touya interrupted. His voice began taking on the same passion that was so often found in N's. "If we become the Heroes, then.. who says we have to fight? We can work together, right? The dragons are supposed to listen to us, so if we don't want to fight, then they won't destroy the region. And.. and we can help people and Pokemon. Without separating them. We can create an ideal world together. An ideal world for people and Pokemon. I want to help you, N, I really do. But taking Pokemon away, o-or taking people away; that won't fix anything. It'll just create new problems. We can.. we can educate people about how to properly treat Pokemon, and we can teach trainers how to use pokeballs without capturing Pokemon, a-and... please, N. I don't want to fight you." Touya's impassioned speech trailed off into a tearful whimper, laden with emotion.

"...As always, you've given me many things to think about, Touya. You truly believe in the words you speak, with every ounce of your being. Perhaps they are true. No other pair of Heroes have ever reconciled and worked together, and they have always lead to the destruction of the region. This is the truth. But ideally they could put aside their differences, and create a world where both Truth and Ideals are valued. Where dreams may become reality." N reached out and cupped the other trainer's face, staring deep into watery brown eyes. "I thank you, Touya. There is not another in this world that I would ever wish to be my opposing-.. my fellow Hero. And... I could not ask for a better friend." He leaned in, and soundly pressed their lips together. "We will meet again at Dragonspiral Tower," N murmured against Touya's mouth, "I will become the Hero of Ideals, and you will find the Light Stone and be recognized as the Hero of Truth. Then we shall decide our course of action." And with that his warmth was stolen from Touya, echoed only in departing footsteps. Touya said nothing, watching the King of Team Plasma leave with an odd feeling in his chest.


	6. Corrosion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dragonspiral Tower is a place of many mysteries and legends, one of which will soon be brought to life.

The very moment that Touya finally found the exit to Twist Mountain, his elation was interrupted by both a familiar face and a Team Plasma grunt. Was this some sort of 'Curse of the Caves' or something? Was he destined to always be held up from getting into a nice, warm Pokemon center and getting the chance to check for frostbite? Surprisingly enough, the familiar face wasn't N for the (five, six..) eighth time. Instead it was Cheren, who appeared to have just finished menacing the lone Plasma Grunt. "Hmph.. pretty strong," the grunt complimented begrudgingly. "But the only reason you trainers are strong is because you're controlling Pokemon!" 

Cheren appeared less than impressed. "So, you wish to set Pokemon free..." he drawled, as if this was the first he'd ever heard of such a notion. "Well then, why don't you start with your own? I doubt that taking people's Pokemon by force will cast your organization in a positive light."

Before the grunt could muster a response, a near identical member of Team Plasma came barreling through the exit, stopping just short of running into the first grunt. "Hey, there you are! We've found what we were looking for, we should head for the tower now," the grunt explained breathlessly. After a shared look the two turned to face the trainer that was staring at them with bored contempt. "Get this! Team Plasma has obtained the power to change this world and end people's control over Pokemon."

"That's right," the other one piped up. "We must use force in order to right the wrongs of this world. Come," he addressed his partner, "we must go to our king, Lord N!" And with that they swiftly fled, leaving no time for Cheren or Touya to act against them. 

Cheren sighed deeply and hooked a lazy glance over his shoulder, staring at Touya as if he'd known the other trainer was there the whole time. "I don't know what exactly these guys found, but they sure go the extra mile to gain power and cause trouble. Such a bother, really.." He turned to address his friend fully, adjusting his glasses with the tip of a finger. "Touya, I'm going to stay here for a while longer. I'd... like to think, about what the Champion asked me. What I want to do with my power once I've become stronger... and why do I desire strength in the first place? ...We'll talk more later. Go on ahead, and be sure to let me know how tough the gym leader is." Cheren offered up something that might have been a kind smile were it on anyone else's face, stepping up to pat Touya on the shoulder before heading off deeper into the cave. 

"..." Good old Cheren. Never let him get a word in edgewise. Nothing he wasn't already used to, but it still stung a little. Even more so, now that he finally had individuals in his life that valued what he had to say. He held his bag a little closer against his side, and replayed his recent encounter with N in his head. The Heroes working together for the good of the world... could it really be done? N certainly seemed willing to think on it, but what of Team Plasma? The majority of them still seemed like thieving scum, and Touya wouldn't trust those sages as far as he could throw them. Which likely wasn't very far. As much as he'd like to stand around and think his way through his problems, it was too cold and he had too little time to waste. So he wasted no time in stepping out into the open world, and.. almost directly running into Cedric Juniper. 

"Touya, hi!" The retired researcher practically shouted the words. "How have you and your Pokemon been? Doing well, I should hope. Listen, there's something I need to ask you about-Dragonspiral Tower. Have you ever heard of it?" 

Huh. What an odd coincidence. "Yes, actually-" 

"So you have! Good, very good. Surprising, too. Very few actually know about it. Listen, I have a little story to tell. Dragonspiral Tower is said to be the oldest standing structure in Unova. Stories say it's the place where legendary Pokémon came to life or where they remain in deep slumber. I know it's just past Icirrus City, but that's all I know about it. That's all anyone knows, because no one has ever been inside. My daughter has wanted to investigate that tower for a long time. "What! There's something I don't know?!" That kind of feeling is pure adventure. And I'm not too old for some adventuring. Away I go to have a look at Dragonspiral Tower! Catch you later!" And then the man was off, practically skipping away with more carefree abandon than anyone in their fifties(?) had any right to possess. 

"..Why can I never talk to normal people?" As entertaining as the antics of Cedric Juniper were, they hadn't exactly given him much information. The 'birthplace of legendaries' bit was interesting, but he already knew that Team Plasma planned to use it as the summoning grounds for Zekrom. Either way, he needed to get there as soon as possible. For once, the gym badge could wait.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
There was no way inside. Not only was the tower located in the middle of a body of water, (maybe he could call up Touko, see if she had a water type with Surf that he could borrow?) but it was also sealed shut, with no discernable entrance. Well... at least if he couldn't get in, then neither could Team Plasma, right? Besides, there was lots of places to explore outside the tower, and he needed more Pokemon anyway. Maybe this was a blessing in disguise. 

The next several days were spent training, exploring, buying TMs, trying to make money to make up for what he spent on TMs, and conversing with Pokemon to see if they wanted to join him. Surprisingly enough, he'd found two that were willing to come along. A mild and somewhat ambivalent Mienfoo, convinced by his tale of trying to save the region and improve the lives of all Pokemon, as well as a Druddigon that was out of its cave well past the months where its kind were generally known to roam. The dragon type was rash and gruff, and only convinced by the promise that it would be allowed to fight the Dragon Master, Drayden. Whatever their reasons, Touya was happy to have Yuki and Bruce on the team, and looked forward to getting to know them better. After another half week of training, the day of the Icirrus City gym battle had finally dawned. 

Even with Touya's type advantages, Brycen proved to be the most powerful opponent that he'd faced yet. The man had a will of steel and the mind of a tactician, utilizing every miniscule advantage he had to circumvent his Pokemon's weaknesses, and retaliated with bruising force and swift precision. But in the end, after walls of blazing fire warred with howling, raging blizzards, Touya came out the victor. The MVP of the battle was Touya's newly evolved Chandelure, the ghost's fire type attacks hitting ridiculously hard despite their frosty surroundings. Special mentions also went to Mienfoo for blistering speed and surprising power for an unevolved Pokemon, and to Druddigon, for sheer tenacity and brutality even when faced with a clear disadvantage. 

Brycen watched on for several long moments as Touya congratulated his Pokemon, eventually catching the boy's attention by clearing his throat. "Challenger Touya, I commend you for a truly inspiring battle. You have trained your Pokemon well, and forged with them an unbreakable bond. In honor of your stout heart, I give you this." From within his sleeve Brycen produced a piece of polished metal, shaped after a trio of icicles. "Carry this Freeze badge proudly." 

"T-thank you sir, I will," Touya stuttered as he accepted his newly won badge, still intimidated by the gym leader even after defeating him. He offered one last goodbye before he exited the gym, running directly into both Cheren and Bianca. 

"Touya, I've been talking with Bianca, and I've begun to wonder.. Since we left Nuvema, has something about me.. changed?" Despite Cheren's casual manner of speech, he seemed almost desperate to hear Touya's answer, fidgeting uncharacteristically. "Thinking about what I want to do, thinking about what I should do... it felt like there was nothing. Have I.. really become stronger, or is it just my Pokemon that have? I don't know anymore!" Cheren surreptitiously wiped his eyes under his glasses as Bianca put a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

"C'mon Cheren, cheer up! Isn't it nice that we're all together again?" Seemingly done with her 'cheering up', she turned a beaming smile on Touya. "Touya, guess what? I'm going to the Pokemon Fan Club! I've really been searching.. for what I want to do, and for what I can do."

Were his friends always this hard to understand? Before Touya had a chance to respond, he was pushed out of the way by Brycen, who was practically running out of the gym. "Who are you?" he demanded, looking directly past Cheren and Bianca. 

"Who, us? I'm Bianca, and this is Cheren.." The spritely trainer tilted her head, looking puzzled. 

"I know you're there! Why don't you show yourselves?" Brycen was speaking to what appeared to be empty space, and Touya felt his confusion escalate before realization took its place. He opened his mouth to warn everyone, but he was intercepted by the appearance of the Shadow Triad, stood leisurely around the entrance to the gym. 

"...Impressive, gym leader of Icirrus. We, the Shadow Triad, are beings of the shadows... and not easily noticed."

"Our mission was to speak only with Touya, but so be it." Touya's head jerked around to meet the icy stare of the ninja(?) that had spoken. "Ghetsis has a message for you: Come to Dragonspiral Tower."

"It is there that our Lord N awaits you. ...Now, our mission is complete."

Brycen had begun looking more and more agitated as time went on. "Dragonspiral Tower? What's going on?! Hey! Tell me-" before he could speak further, the Shadow Triad vanished into thin air. Expression cooling, Brycen spoke directly to Cheren. "Young man, if you are here for a gym battle, then I'm afraid it must be postponed. I must investigate what is happening at Dragonspiral Tower." 

"Then I'm coming as well. If Plasma is involved, then nothing good can be happening." Cheren adopted a more confident stance, prepared to partake in his favorite pass-time of decimating Plasma Grunts."Dragonspiral is to the north, correct?" The gym leader nodded and motioned for Cheren to follow behind him, the pair heading off towards the north edge of town.

"Whoa, w-what should I do?" Bianca wrung her hands nervously, sending a pleading look at Touya. Before he could answer her, the flighty trainer continued speaking. "F-for now, I have to go to Dragonspiral Tower... Okay, I'm heading north!" And with that she took off after Cheren and Brycen, leaving her friend standing in the entrance of the gym, absolutely speechless. 

Half an hour later found Touya hurrying out of the sliding doors of the Pokemon center, having spent that time frantically healing and feeding his Pokemon while trying to remember to feed himself as well. He pulled his bicycle out from where it had been folded up in his bag, pedaling at reasonably safe speeds towards where he knew Dragonspiral Tower was located. A short while passed before he caught sight of Bianca, travelling at a significantly slower pace on foot towards Cedric, who was standing before a small patch of woods that separated them from the lakeshore. "Touya, you made it!" Bianca called, waving for him to join them. He braked to a halt a few feet away, folding up his bicycle and jogging to close the distance. The two trainers turned to Cedric, who appeared to have something important to say. 

"Oh, Touya! And you are.. Bianca, correct? I'm the other Professor Juniper. The Professor Juniper that gave you your Pokedex is my daughter."

"Nice to meet you, professor! Thanks to Professor Juniper, I got to go on a journey and start figuring out possibilities for the future. I'm very, very grateful to her!" 

"Is that right? Grand, grand. Listen, we should chat later." Cedric looked more serious than Touya had ever seen him. "Touya, Bianca, here's the situation. Some members of Team Plasma-quite a large group-have broken through the side of the Dragonspiral Tower and gone inside. Brycen and that young man-I believe his name was Cheren-went in after them, but..." 

"Uhm, professor? What's the Dragonspiral Tower?" Bianca flushed slightly, looking embarrassed to be asking questions at a time like this. 

"Ha! I guess you would be curious, wouldn't you? Well, I'll explain briefly." Cedric had apparently regained his normal cheer, smiling at the prospect of imparting information on young minds. "Dragonspiral Tower has stood since long before Unova was founded. On the top floor, the Legendary Dragon is said to be waiting for a person pursuing ideals to appear.. At least, that's what is said. Are you two going to go after Team Plasma like your friend? It's admirable of you to join the fight against Team Plasma, but quite risky as well." 

"Don't worry, professor!" Bianca spoke up, "Touya and Cheren are both super strong, and they've beaten Team Plasma before. But.. I'm not all that strong, really. So I was thinking.. it would be nice if, maybe, I could stay here and.. be your bodyguard?" She gazed pleadingly at the researcher. 

"Why thank you, Bianca! That makes me feel much safer. I suppose that it's up to you now, Touya. Climb the tower, and defeat Team Plasma! This is all I can give you, but I hope it will help." Cedric dug around in his pocket, retrieving a slightly linty.. something to give to Touya. It appeared to be some sort of... brick of gelatin. He really wasn't sure how that could help at all, but he thanked the professor anyway before heading off for the tower. 

Boy, Professor Juniper sure wasn't kidding about Plasma breaking into the tower. A massive hole had been knocked out of the side, exposing the dark, dank interior of the ancient structure. They had also set up a bridge leading from the shoreline into the tower; lucky for him, considering his lack of a water type. Touya prepared to venture inside, only to stop and reach for a pokeball when he spied a Plasma Grunt amongst the trees. Oddly enough, the grunt made no move to challenge him, only saying something about him getting to 'witness a legend' before walking off. Touya was certain that today couldn't get any stranger; at least not until he ventured into the ancient tower that supposedly housed the legendary Zekrom, whom Team Plasma and N were attempting to resurrect. He really missed the days when all he had to worry about was winning his next gym badge... 

The interior of the structure was about as dilapidated and outdated as Touya had imagined it would be. Strange, repeating patterns were cut into the tiles of the floor, walls, and ceiling, and a large pool of water sparkled in the dim lighting to his left. The rubber soles of his shoes squeaked against the damp floor, prompting him to move carefully and quietly. It wouldn't do to fall on his rear because he was moving too quickly. A set of stairs led him up into a room of broken pillars, which had seemingly been built at random. They didn't appear to be in places where they'd help hold anything up, and two of them were practically built into one. Or they had been, before the wear of time had torn them down. As he made to approach one of the fallen columns, the tower was shaken by a low, rumbling roar. Was that.. Zekrom? There's no way Team Plasma had already resurrected it, right? 

"Touya!" Cheren called from within a doorway on the level up. "You can get up here by climbing on the broken columns. I'm going ahead to stop Team Plasma. Don't keep me waiting!" He disappeared through the doorway, and the echoing of footsteps implied there was a stairway beyond. 

Well, climbing certainly wasn't his strong point, but these pillars looked sturdy enough. Smooth inclines had been formed at the bases where they had cracked and fallen over, giving him an easy way up. A bit of careful footwork led him easily up onto the second level, where he hurried up after Cheren. The next room was composed entirely of small platforms, between which was empty space and a presumably horrific death by falling. Yorkshire proved to be a big help, allowing Touya to cling to his metal limbs while he floated his trainer across. He smiled eerily as he was thanked, returning with a flash to his pokeball. "Who.. builds a tower like this... seriously..." Touya huffed as he ran up yet another long set of stairs, emerging onto a wide platform absolutely crammed full of Plasma grunts, several of which appeared to be battling both Cheren and the gym leader. 

"Touya, go! We'll hold them off," Brycen shouted, his Beartic firing a barrage of thick icicles at an oozing Garbodor. An impatient glare from Cheren got Touya's feet moving, carrying him towards the next several sets of stairs as Plasma grunts yelled and grabbed for him. He made it through unscathed, emerging into the room above, which was composed entirely of thin platforms fashioned in concentric rings. A lot of careful maneuvering, obnoxious backtracking, and fearing for his life followed. Thankfully Touya managed to avoid a horrible demise, stepping up to the next floor which housed even more Plasma Grunts, as well as a Sage that he'd never seen before. He was an older man with a thick beard and a head of thinning grey hair, clad in thick, burgundy robes. He gestured grandly as he spoke before the attentive grunts. "The time has finally arrived. Our Lord N is going to become the Hero!" Before he could continue with whatever grand speech he'd had planned, Touya entered his field of vision. "W-what?! Someone made it up here?! Go, stop him!" He pointed menacingly at the trainer, the grunts swiftly moving to follow his commands and boxing Touya in. "Anyone that is not Team Plasma is an enemy! Go, use all your strength to eliminate them!" The grunts shouted in agreement, sending out their Pokemon as they yelled out various threats that weren't very intimidating. 

Twenty minutes later found Touya victorious over the four grunts, his entire team released onto the platform. The sage stared in horror at the reigning trainer as the grunts scuttled away in defeat. Touya peered on in concern, trying to make sure that the old man wasn't going to have a heart attack or something before he moved on. The sage sputtered back to life as Touya ascended the stairs after returning his Pokemon. "You cannot hope to stop the Hero! You, and all other trainers had best prepare to lose your Pokemon forever!" 

The next level of the tower was the peak. An ominous wind whistled through the cavernous room, broken pillars lying in heaps of rubble. Beyond the entrance stood N, staring in awe at the dark, massive form of the Legendary Dragon. Zekrom. The hulking legendary stood over twenty feet high, composed entirely of dull black scales and thick, powerful muscle. A pair of piercing red eyes stared directly past N, drilling deep into Touya's skull. His strangled gasp echoed around the room, prompting N to turn his back on the giant deadly legendary electric dragon monster of death and greet his fellow Hero. "How do you like it, Touya? Magnificent, isn't it? This is the powerful form of the dragon that appears before and fights beside the Hero of Ideals. The Hero of Ideals... I've finally done it. I really have." The Hero laughed, high and clear, his voice echoing around the room. He spared one last look at Zekrom before he cleared the distance between himself and Touya, sweeping the teenager off his feet and lifting him into the air. "Touya, I did it! I became the Hero!" He spun the other trainer around before placing him back on his feet, a giddy grin lighting up his face. 

"N.. you... and Zekrom, it's..." Touya felt nauseous. Whether it was from the high altitude or being spun around so violently, he didn't know. "You really did it. And now.." How was he supposed to feel? Part of him had wanted nothing more than to stop N from becoming the Hero, so that they both could put aside this destiny stuff and simply.. be. But now that he was practically confirmed to be the other Hero, so many more possibilities had opened. With the Legendary Dragons on their side, the two of them could accomplish anything. They could make a better region for everyone, people and Pokemon both. But... "What about Team Plasma? They... they're not going to just let you make your own plans, right?" 

"Touya, I am the King of Team Plasma and the Hero of Ideals. There are none who would dare to challenge me." N spoke with an uncharacteristic intensity, a passionate fire burning in his eyes. "And as my Hero of Truth, you will be granted the same respect. Team Plasma will help me.. help us achieve our dreams, or I will do away with them. Touya, I must confide in you. As of late, Team Plasma has.. changed. Their goals seem to have diverted from what I have been told. Further cases of abuse and theft have cropped up, and those responsible have been commended by the sages. I fear that Ghetsis knows of this. Furthermore, I fear that he is behind this. If I were to follow our plans and go to the Pokemon League to defeat the champion... something terrible might happen. That is why I will come with you, Touya. Together, we will find the Light Stone, and Reshiram will recognize you. Then we will change the world together. Our dreams will be made a reality. A world where Pokemon are free of capture and abuse. And one where people are free to love Pokemon, and be loved by them." 

Touya felt his heart just about beat out of his ribcage. This was really going to happen, wasn't it? He and N were going to change the world. A heady mix of emotion clouded his head and clogged his chest, tears springing unbidden to his eyes. He leapt into N's arms, his own winding tight around the Hero's torso as Touya pressed his face against a warm shoulder. The two stood there, locked in an embrace for a long while. Zekrom watched on impassively.

As Brycen and Cheren finished their battles and ascended the tower, they made it to the top in time to watch the Legendary Dragon take to the air with a pair of trainers upon its back. The dragon's roar shook the very foundations of the tower, and before either could utter a word, Zekrom had taken off in a flash of lightning.


	7. Calm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone needs a day off, even the Heroes of Unova.

It was Touya's line of thinking that brought them here. Without N leading the way and providing muscle with Zekrom, Plasma had no way to complete their plans, right? Any drastic action would catch the attention of the gym leaders and the authorities, and they'd quash Plasma's plans before they got out of hand. And if things got too bad, the two Heroes would intervene as well. So instead of immediately setting off for the Light Stone, he'd decided that they needed a day off. They could have fun for once, together, without worrying about battling or Plasma plans or moral debates. He'd further convinced his fellow trainer by saying that it would be a good opportunity to integrate N into society. As a Hero he'd be expected to learn how to talk to people, and what better way to learn than to dive straight in, right? And if they heard any news that things were going bad, they'd drop everything and head off for the Light Stone. Besides, like N said, nobody would dare to stand up to them. The thought made Touya slightly giddy inside. The chance to speak and be heard; by the entire region, no less. It was a scary thought, but... wasn't that what he had been working towards anyway? Wanting to become the champion so he'd have the influence to share his ideas with others? He'd speak, they would listen. He'd say, they would do. The thought was... intoxicating. He wondered if it was really right to give such power to someone as young as him. Surely he'd mess up in some way, or accidentally misuse his power. Touya knew he wasn't a flawless paragon like the superheroes in cartoons; he had desires and impulses just like everyone else. Or... maybe that meant he was the right person. Doubting his power, wanting to make sure he used it correctly; that's what true heroes did, right? This was all so confusing, and he hadn't even been properly confirmed as the Hero of Truth yet. Maybe he'd feel better once that happened, more confident in himself. But he could worry about that later. Right now, it was time to explore up and down and all around the monolithic maze known as Shopping Mall 9. 

Touya couldn't believe how many shops there were. Every one of the nine expansive floors was absolutely crammed with them: hair salons, furniture stores, electronics outlets, boutiques, antique shops-there were too many to count. If he had to guess, he'd say this one mall had more stores within its walls than the entirety of Striaton City had within its limits. He'd declared it, and as the (soon-to-be) Hero of Truth, that meant it was an indisputable fact. Another indomitable truth was the fact that Touya had no idea where to start. He was stood near the escalators leading to the third floor, hand in hand with a fidgeting N, trying to figure out what would be the best thing to start with. He took a long look at his compatriot, noticing for the first time how incredibly bushy N's hair really was. Now that he thought about it, it was getting more and more difficult to properly tuck his hair under his hat lately..

And that was how they found themselves in a beauty salon, N dazzled by the charts of various hair styles and Touya convinced to purchase the daily special, which included a manicure and pedicure along with their haircuts. N had to be gently reassured three times that no, the stylist wasn't trying to drown him, she just needed to soak his hair before they could cut it. Touya also learned that his feet were particularly ticklish, and had accidentally bit his lip open in his quest to avoid breaking into entirely inappropriate giggles. In the end Touya could finally wear his hat comfortably, and N's hair looked... much the same, but the other trainer said it felt lighter, and that was good enough for him. The double daily special ended up costing a surprising chunk of change, but luckily for them Touya had found some old guy in Icirrus that had given him a small fortune in exchange for a couple of gold nuggets. It also helped that N had practically unlimited funds from Team Plasma. Neither knew how long they'd last now that N had cut ties, but the mind boggling number on his trainer card suggested they'd be perfectly fine for the time being. Which is why Touya had decided a shopping spree was in their best interests. 

They spent hours perusing shops on every level. N found himself taken by a small handheld gaming device that simulated Pokemon battles, wondering aloud why trainers bothered with actual, harmful fights when the next best thing was readily available to them. His complaining eventually got them thrown out of the store, but not before he was able to purchase his handheld. They later found themselves exploring a tiny knick knack shop, where Touya found an adorable life sized Joltik figurine and N mumbled under his breath about glorification of abusers when they passed a section of famous trainer statuettes. At this point, Touya had started finding such mutterings oddly endearing. Maybe it was because he knew that soon enough, they'd be unfounded. He briefly stopped to wonder what N would do once the world improved; surely he wouldn't be embittered by the better conditions of Pokemon, right? He'd seemed on board enough to compromise for Touya's sake, but the Hero of Ideals surely lived up to his title. Hopefully they'd be able to work peaceably, and he'd be able to make N happy with the situation. But for now, there was a statuette of the evolutionary family of Vanillite that he absolutely had to have. 

And so the spree continued on. They went in and out of several clothing stores before Touya had found enough outfits that were both comfy and stylish, as well as a set of dress clothes that he dubbed his 'Hero Garb'. N had somehow managed to find three outfits that looked almost identical to the ones he usually wore, though his fellow Hero had managed to wrangle him into something more formal at one point. He'd also had to stop N from leaving the stores dressed in women's clothing, giving up on explaining the social repercussions of such things and instead convincing N to just take them out in a bag. The trip into the lingerie shop was probably one of the most memorable and horrific moments of Touya's life. 

Now loaded down with shopping bags, the two trainers parked themselves at a table in the food court, settling down to recuperate from their shopping adventures. Touya had left N to puzzle out his new handheld, walking around the various fast food outlets in search of something that wouldn't send his cholesterol through the roof. He eventually settled on a vegetarian wrap for N (he doubted the other trainer would eat meat) and a veggie burger for himself, wanting to avoid the inevitable lecture were he to buy something with meat. The two Heroes tucked into their meals, sitting together in a companionable silence. Which was soon broken. 

"So.. do you have any idea of where the Light Stone might be?" Touya drummed his fingers on the table, trying and failing to come up with topics of conversation. This really wasn't his strong suit, and as much as he was sick of talking about Hero stuff, he honestly didn't know what else to say. 

"Plasma has narrowed it down to two likely locations. The ruins in Desert Resort, and the museum in Striaton. The ruins are ancient and very little of them have been explored; a likely location for Reshiram's resting place. But in the unlikely scenario that is not there, it might be located amongst the various mineral displays in Striaton Museum. I believe it best to explore the desert ruins first, considering their higher chance of containing the Light Stone. Once we find it, and you are recognized as the Hero..." N trailed off, looking thoughtful. "Shall we inform the gym leaders of Plasma's plan to overthrow the Pokemon League, or go there to stop them ourselves? That's the decision we are faced with."

"The gym leaders would probably be a big help in handling Plasma and making sure they don't hurt anyone. The Champion and Elite Four would probably help out too; I doubt they want their League destroyed by Plasma's crazy underground castle. I guess we'll just have to let everyone know I'm okay and that you didn't kidnap me, and then.. tell them about our plan, I guess." 

"I had hoped we'd have a more solid plan by now, but I suppose there are too many variables and unknowns. But as long as the sages don't do anything drastic, everything should go relatively smoothly." N looked fairly confident in his assessment of the situation, even with the tomato juice clinging to the corner of his mouth. Touya smiled fondly, wadding up a napkin and reaching out to wipe off N's face. That reminded him of something, actually... 

"So uhm.. what about, y'know... us?" Touya tapped his fingers together, not looking directly at N. 

"You mean in a sense of our relationship, correct? There isn't much to say, at least not at the moment. We're going to be very busy for quite a while, you know. That might not be conducive towards a relationship. Though we will also be working very closely together.. I enjoy your company very much, Touya. I wish to have it available to me for a long time. I still cannot say if I feel romantically towards you, but I am.. fond of you."

That was probably the closest he was going to get to a love confession. Still, N was trying, and that was all he could ask for. "I'm fond of you too, N." Touya offered up his brightest smile, hoping against hope that he didn't have something stuck in his teeth.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Several hours later found night having fallen upon them, along with the wrath of a concerned mother. Touya had the brilliant idea to drop off all their purchased items at his house, considering they had nowhere else to put it. He'd called his mother beforehand, and he was certain his X-Transceiver would blow up from the sheer force of her yelling. Apparently Professor Juniper had told her that he'd been kidnapped by the King of Team Plasma. He'd spent half the flight assuring her that no, he wasn't kidnapped, he was travelling with N of his own free will, and yes N was trustworthy and no we won't park the legendary dragon right outside the house and yes I promise I'll explain everything as soon as we get there okay bye. 

"Your mother's concern for you is admirable. You should be thankful that she cares so much for you," N lectured, once they had spoken at length with Mrs. Blaire and made it safely into Touya's bedroom.

"I am! I know she loves me and that's why she worries, but sometimes she's a bit.. overbearing. Granted, she thought I was kidnapped, but still." 

"You are very fortunate, Touya, to have a mother that loves you." N gazed off through the window, counting the stray dark clouds that floated through the moonlit sky. 

"...You've never really talked about your parents, or childhood. Did you.. want to?" Touya prodded gently. He was painfully eager to learn more about N, but he didn't want to push the other trainer to say things he wasn't comfortable talking about. 

"As you know, I grew up among Pokemon. I was presumably abandoned as a child, and was raised by Pokemon until I was found by Ghetsis, of the seven sages. He took me to his castle and raised me as his own, alongside my sisters, Anthea and Concordia. At least, they were something like sisters, as far as I knew. I had minimal contact with them, and spent most of my time caring for the Pokemon that my father brought to me. Every single one had a terrible story to tell, and it was through them I learned of the cruelty of humans. One day, after several years had passed, my father offered me the chance to change the world, and make it a better place for Pokemon. I took up the mantle of King of Team Plasma, and began working to become the Hero of Ideals so that I could create a world for Pokemon alone. But as you know, that is no longer my goal. Team Plasma has become something it was never meant to be, and I fear my father's plans are far from benevolent." 

"O...oh. I uh... I think you're right, about Ghetsis' plans being.. not good. It sounds like he deliberately exposed you to Pokemon that had been hurt, so that'd you'd think that all Pokemon went through that."

"Indeed. You've helped me realize that, Touya. Not all trainers are bad people, but conditions for Pokemon could still be improved. This, you also helped me realize. I owe you much, Touya Blaire." 

Touya flushed red in the pale moonlight, shyly glancing away. "I.. you helped me realize a lot about myself too. I should be the one thanking you. Wait... how did you know my last name?" 

"Oh, I read it on your trainer card when I went through your bag." 

...Well. That was disconcerting. But he'd brush over it for now. "Well.. even if your dad doesn't care about you the way he should... I care about you," Touya mumbled, wringing his hands together. 

N's smile was as radiant as the full moon. "I care about you as well, Touya." He reached out to initiate physical affections, carefully wrapping both arms around the smaller boy. They remained locked in each other's arms for the rest of the night, sharing kisses in the dark. 

They were woken up the next morning by the sounds of Mrs. Blaire's shriek as she found the strange older man of dubious trustworthiness in her son's bed. N wasn't welcome back in the Blaire household after that.


	8. Captivity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sands conceal many things, but homegrown secrets abound.

The Desert Resort was as sandy and blisteringly hot as Touya had remembered it. His mouth was dry and tasted of grit, and his exposed arms tingled unpleasantly with the beginnings of a sunburn. But again, not every part of it was unpleasant. N had readily agreed to stopping in to interact with the local Pokemon population, leading to the birth of many surprisingly well constructed sand castles, a game of tag that left Touya's chest burning with exertion and laughter, and a dance-off against a team of Maractus. But as the sun began dipping lower in the sky they were reminded of their mission, saying farewell to the inhabitants of the Desert Resort as they travelled underground, into the ruins of the Relic Castle. They spent several minutes resting and rehydrating in the cool safety of the subterranean sandstone structure, N's Vanilluxe helping to cool them off with a soothing Powder Snow. They spent hours hunting down winding corridors and marvelling at ancient rooms filled with priceless artifacts that hadn't been seen in nearly 2,500 years. But for every historical wonder they found, the Light Stone remained well hidden. N had warned him that although this sunken city had been built by one of the former Heroes, it was still possible that the Light Stone had ended up somewhere else. There was also the chance that Team Plasma had gotten here before them, and were planning to somehow use the stone against them.

N's warnings were cut off by a startled shout as Touya stepped into a sinkhole, his own shocked yell cut off as he was swiftly buried in sand. Panic took over as he found himself without the ability to breathe, though it was soon returned to him as he was unceremoniously deposited on the floor below, plopping into a mound of sand. He managed a weak groan before the sounds of other voices took over, alarmed calls of 'PLASMA!' 'ATTACK!' 'INTRUDER!' 'FOR OUR KING!' filling the room. Great, just what he needed. Meeting back up with N would have to wait. Touya groaned again in exasperation, fumbling to thumb the release on one of his pokeballs. Bruce the Druddigon was the lucky escapee, and he roared in challenge at the flailing Plasma Grunts. The grunts all quieted down and huddled together, suddenly less confident in the face of the jagged dragon. They muttered and shoved amongst each other, before one of them was shoved forward, a pokeball clasped in her trembling hand. "F-for.. for leading our Lord astray, y-you must be punished!" Her freshly released Watchhog quailed before the powerful Druddigon, but readied itself for battle nonetheless. On this day, Team Plasma would triumph over the false Hero! 

The brutally conquered members of Team Plasma cowered in the corner of the room, clutching pokeballs filled with fainted and incapacitated Pokemon to their chests. Beaten and broken, they did not dare look upon the teenager that had so thoroughly trounced them. Touya spared a moment to admire how incredibly incompetent Team Plasma really was before he moved on into the next room, resigned to the fact that no matter how badly he defeated them, the grunts would never give him any information. The next room was thankfully clear of Plasma Grunts, though one of the Seven Sages was blocking his way to the stairs. The old man smiled bitterly upon seeing Touya, clasping his hands together beneath his voluminous sleeves. "So, the "Hero of Truth" arrives. Separated from our king, I see. Just as we had hoped. Ghetsis has planned for us to test how powerful you really are, and how strong your bond with our king truly is. Go forth, young hero, and fail as you were destined to." The sage bowed mockingly, stepping out of his way to the stairs, down which presumably more Team Plasma members waited. He didn't dignify the sage with a response, instead walking past with his head held high and his Druddigon at his heels. Bruce snorted in the man's face, producing a flinch, and made a rumbling sound akin to a laugh. The moment that Touya stepped onto the floor below, he was greeted by the melodious sounds of 'PLASMA!' 'ATTACK!' 'INTRUDER!' 'FOR OUR KING!' echoing around the sandstone maze. This was going to take a while.

As the final Plasma Grunt fell to their knees wailing dramatically, Touya breathed a sigh of relief. He thought this maze would never end, but he'd finally made it to the last room, which contained another of those dreadful sinkholes. He spent a few moments applying potions to his Pokemon and returning them to their pokeballs before he stepped up to it, taking a deep breath and squeezing his eyes shut as he was pulled through the sands and spat out onto the floor below. He managed to peek his eyes open long enough to see the ridiculous hair of both Champion Alder and Ghetsis of the Seven Sages before something heavy and bony landed on his back, knocking the breath from him. He wheezed and clawed weakly at the sand beneath him, peering over his shoulder to catch sight of a familiar ahoge. "C-Cheren?" 

"Touya, hey! We knew you'd be coming here for the Light Stone, so I've been falling you and that N person since you entered the ruins. I lost track of you when you got sucked down that sinkhole, but I finally found you!" The other boy sounded uncharacteristically relieved, prompting a twinge of guilt from Touya. He probably should have let everyone know he was alright before coming here, but he'd assumed his mother had already spoken to Professor Juniper about his well-being. Before he could speak further, the Champion noticed them, eyes widening upon seeing Touya. 

"You two, come here. Come to my side." The two trainers scrambled to their feet, Touya receiving an elbow in the side as he stumbled towards Alder. Ghetsis watched on, looking extremely unimpressed. 

"Well, it looks like everyone is here. Such a nice little reunion," spoke the sage, sounding less oily and pleasant than Touya remembered. "It seems you are working very hard to resurrect Reshiram. Unfortunately for you, it appears the Light Stone isn't here." The sage stepped forward, spreading his arms wide with an insincere smile on his face. "Well, it appears congratulations are in order! Touya, you've been chosen by our king for the purposes of being his opposing Hero. Alas, it appears he is so smitten with you that he has forgotten his true destiny. No matter, Team Plasma's plans are still well in motion. Soon we shall force every trainer in the world to release their Pokemon." 

"Release them, you say?" Alder looked curious, as if he'd never heard Team Plasma's goals before. "Do the Pokemon that live with their trainers really want that? Is this liberation you speak of just a flimsy cover for stealing Pokemon?"

Ghetsis adopted a false look of shock. "What's this? Champion Alder, even though illness took the Pokemon that had been your partner for many years, and you haven't had a serious battle ever since... Even you, who ordered the Elite Four to guard the Pokemon League and left to wander Unova alone... Even a Champion such as you wishes to protect a world where people and Pokemon live together? Team Plasma shall prove to the people of Unova that we are stronger than such a Champion, one that keeps Pokemon bound! Our might shall give pause to even the strongest trainers, and we shall give this order! "Trainers, release your Pokemon!" For this, we have prepared a suitable castle for the Legendary Zekrom, as well as our king, whom you have so politely returned to us." 

Before Touya could speak up, he was interrupted by the Champion. "I won't cower before Team Plasma," Alder stated fiercely. "I'll fight for all trainers who love their Pokemon, and all Pokemon who believe in their trainers!" 

Ghetsis remained unmoved, flippantly disregarding the Champion's vow. "Team Plasma has no interest in you. We have already determined that victory over you is assured." 

"So you stayed behind to tell me this? Just to try and make a fool of me?" 

"Of course not." Ghetsis looked affronted. "I am doing this out of kindness. Yes, kindness. I'm making sure the Champion isn't hurt for no reason. Granted, the moment when someone loses all hope..." the sage smiled, and it was one of the most vile things Touya had ever seen, "I do so love that moment. Farewell, all of you. Do not disappoint me, Hero of Truth." And with that he was off, disappearing through the exit that just happened to be in that very room. 

"Alder... what are you going to do now?" Cheren spoke up, gazing upon the Champion with well concealed admiration. 

"It seems my only choice is to return to the League, and defend it against Team Plasma's king. But it bothers me to do exactly as that Ghetsis wants. More importantly, what about the Light Stone?" They both turned to look at Touya, who balked under the attention. Cheren, taking pity on his friend, suggested they first step outside. "Good idea. It's getting hard to breathe down here." 

The evening sun blazed on the horizon, rays of light painting the sands in various shades of orange and red. The Champion stared off over the rising and falling dunes as Cheren spoke in hushed tones with Touya, trying to confirm that his childhood friend was indeed alright, and hadn't been kidnapped against his will. 

"What could this "N" really want? Is he trying to prove that he's right by winning the battle of the two dragons?" The Champion rubbed his chin contemplatively. 

Finally, a chance for Touya to explain what was going on! "Actually, sir-" The high pitched beeping of his X-Transceiver cut in, causing the trainer to deflate. He accepted the call, the concerned face of Professor Juniper appearing on his screen. 

"Touya, you're alright! Thank goodness. We had assumed you'd been taken against your will at Dragonspiral Tower, and we didn't know if something bad had happened or not, because you didn't answer your X-Transceiver. But listen, we can discuss that later. I need you to come to Nacrene city museum right now. As in, right now, immediately!" The professor hung up, leaving Touya excited beyond belief. They must have found the Light Stone! 

"I could hear Professor Juniper's voice from clear over here," Alder spoke up. "Whatever is waiting for us at the Nacrene museum, it must be important! In that case, I'll go on ahead!" The Champion retrieved one of his pokeballs, releasing a massive Volcarona, whose wings matched the exact shade of Alder's hair. He mounted the back of his Pokemon, and they both took off into the sky. 

"I think I might look around a bit longer, see if we might have missed anything. Don't believe a word that Ghetsis said, alright?" Cheren spoke sternly, hands planted on his hips. "Now, go follow Alder to Nacrene museum." The young man turned to enter the ruins once more, leaving Touya alone under the setting desert sun. The more-experienced-than-when-he-had-started-but-still-technically-a-novice trainer released his newly evolved Braviary, settling himself on the flying type's back as they took off into the sky. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Nacrene was just as just as wonderful as Touya remembered, swathes of self expression shining silver in the moonlight. But unfortunately, he had other things to take care of. He and George landed just outside the museum, the Braviary swiftly returning to his pokeball as Touya stumbled through the front doors of the building. Waiting for him inside the main lobby was Alder, Professor Juniper, the other Professor Juniper, and Bianca. Professor Juniper (the daughter of the other Professor Juniper) stepped forward, looking all business. "Champion Alder has just finished explaining what's going on. You've been caught up in something serious, it seems.."

Before she could speak further, Lenora came in from a back room, carrying something bundled in cloth. "Is this it?" 

Everyone turned to look at it, Bianca in particular marvelling unabashedly. "Whoa, is that the stone from the Desert Resort?" 

"That it is," Lenora replied, "but is it really a Legendary Dragon?" 

Apparently it was now Cedric's turn to speak. "Surely.. when I investigated Dragonspiral Tower, I found elements that were dated to the same era as this Light Stone!" 

"Y'know, we're pretty lucky," Bianca remarked, "'cause what if Team Plasma had, like, noticed the old stone that one time?" 

There was a brief moment of silence as everyone contemplated their good fortune, before Lenora stepped up to Touya, bearing the Light Stone. "Here, Touya, take this." As was always the case, an interruption occurred before something important could happen. It was Alder, looking gravely concerned. 

"Wait, Touya! If you take that Light Stone, it means that you'll be the one to battle N if anything happens to me." 

"T-that's not-"

The Champion continued speaking, Touya's protest going unheard. "Are you sure you're ready for that kind of responsibility? I hate to burden you with this, but our world.. one where people and Pokemon are free to live together.. I need you to be willing to defend such a world, in case anything happens to me!"  
Why was everyone that he knew such a drama queen? "Yes, of course, but-"

"I see. So you are determined to take on this duty. Then.. here it is. Prepare yourself. Be strong." 

Before he could start saying something else to be interrupted again, he was interrupted by Lenora holding out the impossibly smooth, unnaturally round form of the Light Stone. He tentatively reached out and accepted it into his grasp, waiting for something to happen. When it didn't explode into some sort of giant dragon, he breathed a sigh of relief. 

Cedric voiced the question that was on everyone's mind. "So.. how do we resurrect the Legendary Dragon from the stone?" 

A number of 'Uhm's and 'hmm's floated around, before Lenora visibly had an epiphany. "That's it! We've got them, don't we?" She turned to Alder, who seemed to be the only one that caught on to her vague statement. 

"That's right, we have those two. Touya! You need to go to Opelucid. The gym leader there uses dragon-type Pokemon. The Gym Leader might have an idea of what to do. I'll go on ahead, and wait for you there! Until then!" Alder once more released his Volcarona, climbing atop the fire moth's back and taking off into the sky. Both Cedric and Professor Juniper said something about doing more research, slipping away and leaving Touya alone with Lenora and Bianca. 

"Don't worry, Touya," the Gym Leader began, smiling warmly, "if we find out anything new, you'll be the first to know." And with that they all gravitated apart, Lenora back further in the museum and Bianca out into the town.  
Touya was again left with only his thoughts and his Pokemon. He wandered aimlessly around the museum exhibits, eventually happening upon where the Dragonite skeleton used to stand. The sudden reminder of N being back in the hands of Team Plasma carved a pit in his stomach for his heart to fall into. Despite having spent the majority of his journey in the company of just his Pokemon, he suddenly felt alone, more acutely than he ever had before. Maybe this was part of being the Hero. Yearning for his counterpart when they were separated, even if they were supposedly destined to battle. Maybe they had to meet again for Reshiram to awaken, or perhaps the truths firmly rooted in Touya's heart just weren't strong enough. Without N around he felt vulnerable and unsure, unfit to be the Hero of Truth. Surely this stone should have been given to someone more capable. Alder certainly seemed to believe in the truth of a world containing both people and Pokemon. Why couldn't he be the Hero? Why did it always fall to him, when the people that relied on him didn't even let him speak his mind? He turned the Light Stone over in his hands, fighting the impulse to throw it at the wall as hard as he could. Lenora had never done anything to him; it'd be rude of him to damage her museum. He felt tears building up, suddenly feeling stupid and childish for ever thinking he could be a Hero and change the world. But N... N was that Hero. And the world was about to be changed by Team Plasma, whether either of them liked it or not. As much as he'd like to find a dark, quiet place to feel down on himself, Touya couldn't just let Team Plasma win. He had to rescue N and become the Hero, whether he felt he deserved to be one or not. He sniffed and wiped his eyes, gathering up his things and stowing the Light Stone deep in his bag. He exited the museum and retrieved his Braviary's pokeball, and set off on a course for Opelucid. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

N sat alone. His throne was ornate yet minimalist, having no paddings or cushions despite the intricate design. It was cold stone, just like the rest of the castle. His throne room, for all its opulence, was barren. A single red carpet leading across the length of the room, banners hung with the logo of Team Plasma, and sconces lighting the walls. His crown rested heavy in his hands, fingers idly tracing the inset jewels. An intricately decorated shawl kept out some of the subterranean chill, but not enough. His wrists were raw and bloody underneath thick steel manacles, attached to the back of his throne. A king made prisoner in his own castle. It was almost laughable, really, finding out that he'd never had any real power or authority. It was always Ghetsis pulling the strings. A world where Pokemon were free of people... why would Ghetsis ever wish to get rid of his most useful tools? N rubbed his throat, raw and hoarse from screaming for his sisters, for the sages, the grunts, anyone that would listen. He'd always hoped that somehow Touya would hear him. Of course, that wasn't possible. He was buried underneath the earth in what would surely become his tomb. A castle built upon marble and lies. He'd run through countless possibilities in his head, trying to figure out an escape plan with a marginally high chance of success, but nothing would work. There were too many grunts, and his throne room was always guarded. And without Zekrom... he shuddered at the thought of what his father had done; infesting the noble creature with that... machine. It was horrifying, and despicable, and went against everything Plasma pretended to stand for. He only hoped that Touya could stop them. 

N sat alone in his freezing throne room. He sat, and he waited for his Hero to come.


	9. Climax

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end has come.

The day had finally come. Touya stood in front of a slightly dingy mirror in a Pokemon center bathroom, nervously adjusting his cufflinks and brushing down imaginary creases in his slacks. As little stock as Touya usually put in his own appearance, he knew that this was an important occasion, possibly the most important of his entire life. Appearances mattered in this one exact instance, and he planned to look his best. Appearing confident inspires confidence in the self, right? He briefly appraised himself in the looking glass: Smart grey slacks, stormy and free of lint, went along with a pair of shiny loafers, white as parchment. A coal black, collared undershirt clung snugly around his shoulders, accompanied by a fitted suit jacket in a light overcast grey, with stark black lining. A gradient tie was visible beneath his unbuttoned jacket, running top to bottom through every shade between black and white. Finally, atop his (for once) neatly brushed and gelled hair was a pewter circlet, composed of two simple intertwining bands and held in place with bobby pins. He was the picture of a confident young Hero, ready to accept and embrace his destiny. 

On the inside, he felt like screaming. Touya had never had much in the way of confidence. Sure, he believed in his ability to win Pokemon battles, but he knew it was because of how amazing his Pokemon were; he simply guided them along. Confidence in himself was something else entirely. He'd always been motivated by fear; making friends because he feared being alone, becoming a trainer because he feared being left behind, fighting Team Plasma because he feared losing his Pokemon. His motives were purely selfish. ...Except for this time, maybe? Sure, he planned to stop Plasma once and for all so they couldn't take his or anyone else's Pokemon away, but mostly... he was doing this for N. He wanted-no, needed to rescue his fellow Hero. But even that was for selfish reasons. He wanted N back so they could improve the region together, of course; that went without saying. However, his main goal was to get back his (boyfriend?)fellow hero, and ensure that they'd never be parted again. He'd spent so much time alone amongst others, and now he'd finally found someone he felt like he belonged with, and they were taken from him? That was unacceptable. Ghetsis and the rest of Team Plasma would regret the day they decided to cross the Heroes of Truth and Ideals. Touya smiled grimly at himself in the mirror, prepared to take down Team Plasma. But first, he had to defeat the Elite Four and prove himself and his Pokemon strong enough. And maybe his heightened drive and emotions would be enough to summon Reshiram? He still wasn't sure how all this stuff worked, but he'd have to find out before it was too late. Either way, he was getting off track. Touya turned to exit his rented room, pokeballs securely clipped around his belt. 

Marshall of the Elite Four turned out to be one of the toughest opponents that Touya had faced yet. His fighting types were bulky and scarily powerful, and they shared every ounce of their trainer's determination. The battle felt like it lasted forever, the Pokemon on either side exchanging devastating blows and refusing to give up. But finally, mercifully, Touya was the victor. His Braviary and Serperior stood proud, even through their exhaustion. Words were spared between the two trainers, and then the Hero moved on. The other members of the Elite Four proved to be monumentally stronger. Grimsley's dark types moved like the shadows themselves, delivering unseen but greatly felt attacks that left Touya's head swiveling, his Mienshao and Galvantula just barely avoiding the rain of blows. But once more, the battle ended in Touya's favor. They exchanged pleasantries, Grimsley smiling in a peculiar manner that suggested he knew something that Touya did not. Shauntal proved just as eerie as a master of ghost types should be, calling out orders in an echoing, melodious voice. Her ghosts viewed the battlefield more as a suggestion than a rule, floating above and beyond and through the library they were encased in. Chandelure proved more than their match, sheer power barreling through the opposing ghost types until they were all returned, one after the other. Shauntal proved human for a brief moment as she consoled her Pokemon, before sending Touya along with an unsettling grin. Finally, he faced the final member of the Elite Four. It proved to be... surreal. Reality felt like a brief imprint upon his mind as he called out commands to his Druddigon, the sheer saturation of psychic energy leaving him light headed and dreamy. Caitlin's bed ended up looking extremely tempting by the time he was congratulated, and he stumbled back into the center of the plaza without knowing he'd moved at all.

When finally his head had cleared and he had finished healing his Pokemon, Touya pressed upon the indent in the central statue, receiving the sound of grinding stone before he was slowly lowered into the earth. He was deposited in a deep underground chamber, before a massive set of polished stone stairs leading up through the earth and above the rest of the League, into a minimalistic temple of some sort. Knowing that he'd find the Champion there he set forth, determination in every step. As he crested the final few steps, he caught wind of voices. A familiarly oily voice spoke, tinged with madness. "You're finished, Champion. Your paltry resistance was worthless in the end. How does it feel to know that you've failed your entire region." 

"I-I.. you haven't won yet! Touya will-" The champion was cut off by cackling laughter. 

"That pathetic boy? You've placed all your hopes in him? You truly are a sad excuse for a Champion. I suppose I'll leave you to wallow in your own failure, and allow you to see my plans come to fruition." 

Touya stepped up to speak in Alder's defense, catching the attention of both men. "Y-"

"So you've finally shown up, eh? Much too late to save your precious Champion, I'm afraid." Ghetsis gestured around the destroyed room, towering pillars reduced to rubble and sections of wall blasted apart. "I suppose I should be thanking you for your contribution to our cause. For without your bumbling idiocy, our king would never have been returned to us. And without him, I would never have met my new.. friend." Ghetsis' resounding laughter was drowned out by a deep, rumbling roar. From within the shadows at the end of the room emerged Zekrom, scales and limbs crackling with massive surges of electricity. The normally piercing red eyes were instead a sulphuric yellow, and atop the dragon's head sat a mockery of a crown, composed of steel bands and thick cords of wire. Touya gaped wordlessly at the mighty dragon, now merely another pawn of Team Plasma. 

"H-how could you-" 

"Impressive, isn't it? I built it myself. It keeps our dear friend Zekrom docile and suggestible; responding only to myself, of course. As much as I'd love to watch it crush you like the writhing insect you are, I have grander things in mind." Ghetsis spread his arms wide, a look of absolute glee on his face. "FROM THE GROUND, RISE UP, THE CASTLE OF TEAM PLASMA! SURROUND THE POKEMON LEAGUE!" 

The ground shook, and that was the only warning anyone got before the top of the mountain that the Pokemon League sat on was torn apart. Massive, towering walls emerged from the deep gouges in the earth, rising high, high up above the Pokemon League. Imposing grey walls cast deep shadows over the league, hundreds of windows staring down at the dwarfed building. From within these windows emerged a score of walkways, rocketing downward to dig into and through the walls of the League. One in particular crashed through the back wall of the Champion's temple, blasting it apart into bits of debris and clouds of dust. Ghetsis stepped up onto the platform, grinning widely. "If you are still foolish enough to dare challenge me, you will find me in the throne room. I suggest you run and hide, little insect. Perhaps then you might avoid my wrath." And with that the sage strode away, robes billowing in the wind produced by Zekrom's wings as the Legendary Dragon took off into the air, flying towards and into the castle. 

"Touya, Alder!" came a breathless exclamation from Cheren, who had conveniently just finished running up the stairs. "Touya, you have to stop him! I'll stay here with the Champion and make sure he's alright." 

Looks like the decision had been made for him. Touya nodded firmly, striding confidently up the walkway that had burst into the room. He was soon enclosed in the interior of Team Plasma's castle, composed of sparkling dark granite floors and shining walls and ceilings of marble. And within the first room he found himself in, six of the Seven Sages waited for him. 

"Those in accord with Fate are spared; those that act against it perish." One stepped forward. 

"When the Way is forgotten, duty and justice appear." Another approached. 

"One can lose the forest for the trees," was the next line. 

"If you make a mistake and do not correct it, that is an even greater mistake," came the next words of wisdom. 

"Superior men understand what is right; inferior ones understand what will sell." Touya wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean.

"There are not two suns in the sky, nor are there two sovereigns over the people." Okay, that one was a little more transparent. The six sages stood before him, looking determined and slightly intimidating, even in their ridiculous robes. 

"Were we to allow you passage, you might disrupt Ghetsis' perfect plans. Thus, we shall all defeat you here!" 

"Ya really think you can manage that?" Came a strangely familiar voice. From within the hole in the wall emerged-

"Y-you," stuttered one of the sages, "you're Driftveil's gym leader, Clay!"

"Ain't just me," the gym leader replied. And from behind him emerged every other gym leader that Touya had faced, each of them looking determined and confident. Oddly enough, the gym leaders from the first gym weren't there, but that was easy to ignore for the moment. The six sages looked between themselves, unsure of how to proceed. 

"Sorry to say," began Lenora, "but not only are we stronger than all of you, there's more of us, too." 

"Accursed gym leaders!" spat one of the sages, face twisted with anger. 

Touya took his chance to slip away as the sages and gym leaders engaged in battle, setting off down the long hallway before him. Pillars lined the wall to his right as he ran through the corridors, shoes slapping against stone as he pounded down hallways and up staircases. He stopped for nothing, not even wondering why there wasn't a horde of Plasma Grunts on his tail, or waiting to stop him. But there was something that gave him pause. He stopped before one doorway in particular, above which was an embossed letter 'N'. He made to move inside-

"This is the world that was provided to our Lord N." The Shadow Triad member waited patiently for Touya to stop shrieking before he continued. "I feel nothing, even when I stand inside, but perhaps you might feel something." 

Touya whipped around just in time to catch sight of empty air, the ninja having teleported away. He took a moment to catch his breath before he stepped into N's room. It was a child's paradise. Toys littered every inch of the floor, which was covered in colorful plush carpeting styled after clouds floating across the sky. A massive skate ramp took up the center of the room, and was accompanied by a basketball hoop and a large train set. Everything was covered in a layer of dust, as if this room had been untouched for a very long time. Touya sat quietly on the floor, gently moving the train along its track. 'The world that was provided to our Lord N'. Did that mean that N had grown up in this room, and had seen nothing else? The thought made him feel sick. Locking a bright, curious child away in a gilded cage, providing him company only in the form of abused Pokemon... it was all to produce the perfect pawn. A boy that knew nothing of the world aside from what he was allowed to know. A boy that believed all trainers to be evil, and who wanted to set Pokemon free from their cruelty. And when he was provided with that chance, offered the position as King and the title of Hero... The truth was, Ghetsis was going to regret everything he'd ever done. 

Filled with a burning desire to defeat the manipulative old man that had committed these crimes, Touya exited the room and sprinted up the stairs, emerging into... a throne room. One of simple marble and few frivolities. Across the length of the room, a head of green hair was visible, attached to a familiar frame that was slumped over in a throne, wrists chained around the back of the throne. 

"N!" The vocalization ripped from his throat, and he managed a single step before the roof caved in. Debris was blasted aside by bolts of crackling blue lightning, the monumental form of Zekrom visible through the cloud of dust. Astride the dragon was Ghetsis, who laughed at the sight of the cowering Touya. 

"Truly pathetic. Where is your dragon, little Hero? Or has Reshiram realized that you are unworthy to summon it? How very sad; I was looking forward to a real fight." The sage slid off the dragon's back, striding across the room to where his king was imprisoned. "Wake up, idiot boy. I want you to see this. You must face your failures." When no response was garnered, Ghetsis raised his hand and cracked his palm against the side of N's face. The Hero of Ideals was brought to consciousness through a flare of pain, a crackling shout leaving his throat. "Silence, you failure! I did not permit you to make noise! Now watch as your colossal failure is rectified. I'm sure you will enjoy the show." N's bleary eyes widened as he gazed past the brainwashed Legendary, catching sight of his fellow Hero. 

"Touy-" Crack! The back of the sage's hand silenced the imprisoned king, who submissively lowered his head. 

"I told you to be silent, you stupid boy! It seems you fail even at following even the most menial of orders. Now keep your eyes open." Ghetsis turned to stride back across the length of the room, stopping beside Zekrom to appraise his opponent. He nodded after a few moments, as if finding whatever he was looking for.

"Zekrom. Kill the boy." The mighty dragon roared in acknowledgement, the turbine on its tail spinning to life as it gathered power. In a burst of lightning the dragon took off into the air, hovering in place for a split second before diving down towards its target. Zekrom's mouth opened, a Dragon Pulse building up-and it was met with a brutal Sucker Punch to the jaw, the Legendary reeling backwards in shock. Before it stood a roaring Druddigon, working itself up into an Outrage. Zekrom was momentarily dumbfounded by the show of resistance, eyes flashing red before returning to a sickly yellow. It raised a massive hooked claw, preparing to bring it down upon the Druddigon when it was met with a shrieking Bug Buzz. The Legendary howled, stepping further backwards. It tried to roar out a Hyper Voice when a cutting Leaf Storm slammed into its side, followed by a barrage of pointed stones and talons raking across its face. An amorphous mass of shadow energy blasted it directly in the chest, followed by the Druddigon unleashing the fury of its Outrage. Touya's entire team of Pokemon stood in his defense. Both he and the sage watched on in awe and disbelief as the Legendary Zekrom was beaten back, failing to unleash a single attack from underneath the barrage it was enduring. Just as it seemed the tide had turned, Zekrom's Terravolt burst to life. A massive Discharge of electricity blasted back the attacking Pokemon, sending them skidding and sliding across the marble floor. Zekrom howled and fired off a searing Dragon Pulse, aimed directly at the Hero of Truth. Touya screamed and squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for the end-

The Light Stone in his pocket rose into the air, absorbing the entirety of the attack aimed at its Hero. Ghetsis yelled his fury and disbelief alongside the roaring Zekrom as the Light Stone unfolded like a blossoming flower, growing larger and larger as it began to glow brightly, brighter than the sun- in a searing corona of roiling flames Reshiram emerged, titanic and feathery and gleaming white. It shrieked in challenge at the opposing Legendary, blasting a jet of Flamethrower before Zekrom could react. The black dragon took the full brunt of the attack, growling and snapping its jaws as the flames dissipated. It rose into the air in a flash of electricity, followed by Reshiram, who rose as if propelled by its trail of flames. "Reshiram! Destroy the device on Zekrom's head!" Touya called up once his disbelief had faded enough for him to function. 

"Zekrom, you worthless abomination, I said to kill the boy!" Ghetsis' words went unheard as the two dragons began another installment of their endless conflict, thick arcs of lightning combating scorching jets and billowing blasts of fire. Ghetsis screamed in fury, reaching for the pokeballs concealed by his robes and unleashing his entire team at once. A furious Bouffalant snorted and stamped the ground, zeroing in on Touya's Serperior, who hissed in amusement. A Seismitoad, standing larger and thicker than most of its species, honked a reverberating challenge at an answering Galvantula. The eyes of Mienshao and Bisharp locked, and both immediately engaged in a deadly dance of whirling blades and martial arts. A haunting Cofagrigus cackled and gestured tauntingly at Chandelure, who answered with a blazing Fire Blast. A hulking Eelektross slithered into combat with the raging Druddigon, both of them slugging it out in a vicious brawl. That left Braviary alone to face Ghetsis' most menacing Pokemon; a Hydreigon, nearly half again as big as it should be, eyes dark and wild as it fired random Dragon Pulses into the air and screamed incessantly. 

N struggled fruitlessly against his bonds, wanting nothing more than to aid his fellow Hero. He felt an insistent pulling in his chest, urging him to get up and command Zekrom against Ghetsis, to unleash the team he'd had prepared for when he originally planned to battle Touya. If only he wasn't such a failure, he might have been able to do something useful. If only-a tiny squeak caught his attention. He glanced down, eyes widening at the sight of a miniscule Joltik at his feet. The tiny Pokemon waved its fangs, holding them straight up. It.. wanted him to raise his arms? Figuring that it couldn't hurt, N slowly raised his arms in the air, trying not to catch Ghetsis' attention. As soon as they were high enough in the air the Joltik fired out a stream of-Flamethrower?! The chains melted under the deluge of heat as N's confusion escalated to unsafe levels. "W-what-" The Joltik squeaked again, winking one of its many eyes, which looked a lot darker than a Joltik's eyes should, now that he thought about it.. His own eyes widened enough that it hurt, realization crashing into him. He slowly rose from his throne, watching in mounting excitement and pride as the Joltik shimmered and flickered, changing into the familiar form of Zoroark. "I knew you'd find me, my friend," N whispered, momentarily stroking his fingers through thick, coarse fur. 

High above the battle raged on, neither dragon giving an inch as they raged against the other. Dragon Pulses and Dragon Claws, Zen Headbutts and Extrasensorys, each left their mark upon their opponent but neither went down. Zekrom's fury mounted as its counterpart easily matched it, ingrained instinct warring with the suggestive influence of Ghetsis' device. The Legendary Dragon caught the word 'kill', and its eyes flashed yellow. The turbine on its tail hissed and whined and shrieked as it powered even further, producing enough energy to power a small city, an aura of electric power forming around the black dragon. Soon it was nothing more than a raging ball of electricity, stalks of lightning lancing outward to strike the floor and walls. Reshiram, free of any influence but that of its Hero, waited just long enough. Its own turbine lit up like a blast furnace, the air growing thick and hazy around the corona of flames it produced. Just above the tip of Reshiram's snout a ball of pure heat began to form, growing exponentially in size and intensity as the Legendary Dragon built up energy. The two dragons released reverberating wails, Zekrom charging towards its counterpart with reckless abandon. Just as its Fusion Bolt was about to strike, Reshiram's answering Fusion Flare was fired. The two met in an explosive flash of light. 

Several things happened all at once. Serperior effortlessly dispatched the sluggish Bouffalant, felling the Bison Pokemon without having taken a single hit. Galvantula fired off a volley of whirling Energy Balls, skittering wildly to avoid the cracks in the floor caused by repeated Earthquakes. A single Energy Ball struck home, sending the Seismitoad sprawling across the floor, defeated. Bisharp narrowly avoided a High Jump Kick, retaliating with a bruising Iron Head that knocked Mienshao unconscious. However, a vicious Leaf Storm from Serperior felled it in a single, decisive blow. Cofagrigus' lid proved to be an inadequate defense against the raw power of Chandelure's Shadow Balls, and soon the coffin Pokemon was out of commission. Druddigon smashed Eelektross across the face with a final Sucker Punch before succumbing to paralysis, both the dragon and the electric eel hitting the floor. Hydreigon ate up every Superpower and Brave Bird that Braviary threw at it, battering the poor Pokemon with Dragon and Dark Pulses until it was left in a heap. The Hydreigon roared in victory, aiming to deliver a final blow to the Braviary-"Zoroark, use Focus Blast!" The attack struck just between the Hydreigon's wings, sending it pitching forward into a crumpled heap. Ghetsis whirled around in shock, eyes filled with rage and bewilderment meeting with those shining with courage and determination. Before he could form words there was a terrific explosion above, and from within it the form of Zekrom spiraled to the ground, impacting the floor with a mighty crack. The device around its head was half melted and bent into a twisted spiral of metal, rendered completely useless by Reshiram's repeated attacks. 

"I-Impossible-my plans, so many years of work-no, that's IMPOSSIBLE! MY PLAN WAS PERFECT; I WAS PERFECT! I AM PERFECTION!" Ghetsis howled in disbelief, madness seeping through the cracks in his mask. 

"Ghetsis, you are defeated. Your plan has failed; you are a failure." N seemed unhealthily pleased to throw those words back in Ghetsis' face. The sage's expression twisted from maddened grief into unstable rage, and his head whipped wildly between N and Touya. 

"You stupid, worthless children! YOU'VE RUINED EVERYTHING!" 

"I think they saved the world from being ruined by you." Alder and Cheren had entered the throne room before the sage could do anything rash, the Champion carrying a pair of handcuffs. Ghetsis' rage slipped away into bitter despair as he realized he was well and truly defeated. The Champion stepped forward, his focus shifting towards the King of Team Plasma. "N... do you still wish to separate people from Pokemon?" N opened his mouth to reply, only to be cut off by the mad sage. 

"Ha! Since I was unable to become the Hero and resurrect the Legendary Dragon myself, I prepared someone for that purpose-N! He's nothing more than a freak without a human heart. Do you think you'll ever get through to a warped human being like that?" 

"I've had enough of your pathetic rambling, Ghetsis," Touya spoke, loud and strong. He had nary a quaver in his tone nor a stutter on his tongue. He spoke with authority, and everyone present listened. "You've already lost; the least you could do is shut your mouth. I think everyone here is sick of listening to you talk." Ghetsis gaped wordlessly. "Perfect. Just like that, thank you. N is not a freak without a human heart. He has a bigger heart than anyone I've ever met, and it's filled to bursting with love for Pokemon. And I think it has room for people, too. He and I, the Hero of Truth and the Hero of Ideals, are going to change the world together. We'll make it a better place for Pokemon, and for people. An ideal world is one without people like you, Ghetsis. And the truth is, you'll have to watch us make that world through iron bars. Alder, Cheren.. please get him out of here." 

Alder looked stunned for a moment, before quickly shaking himself out of it. "N... I'm sure you have much to think about. I know you were not pursuing ideals because of Ghetsis's manipulation, but because your heart was truly inspired. That is why you were able to meet the legendary Pokémon!" Having said his piece he quickly moved to slap the handcuffs on Ghetsis' wrists, leading him out of the throne room with Cheren in tow. Then it was just Touya and N. 

"Touya..." Whatever N was going to say was cut off by a choked little wail and arms wrapping around his waist. Touya's face pressed against the front of his chest, which quickly became damp with tears. 

"Fighting your dad was scary, N. Being apart from you was even scarier. Please don't make me do either of those again." Touya's voice was weak and muffled, which was more in line with his normal mannerisms than his previous little speech. 

"Touya... I do not wish to be apart from you either. I care for you very much." N's voice was similarly quiet and hoarse, and just as filled with emotion. 

Reshiram watched the two Heroes embrace with mild confusion, unsure of why they weren't fighting each other. Zekrom lifted its head from the floor, red eyes meeting blue. They made an unspoken agreement. Their conflict would rest as long as their Heroes wished it. 

In the ruined throne room of the castle of Team Plasma, two Heroes defied fate. Two friends embraced. Two lovers kissed. N and Touya stood in each others arms, and the world faded around them. Black and white became meaningless; everything turned to grey.


End file.
